A Useful Checklist When Meeting With An Estate Planning Attorney

Estate planning is an important process because you are putting together a plan to pass your legacy to the ones in your life that mean the most.

Usually when people start the process, they begin by doing research on what estate planning is, what the process looks like, and what type of documents may be right based on their unique situation.

With the amount of information out there on the internet, estate planning can become more confusing than it needs to be.

One of the best ways to get customized information based on your specific situation is to schedule a meeting with an experienced estate planning attorney.

But a lot of people don’t work with attorneys on a daily basis and aren’t really sure how to prepare to meet with the lawyer. Estate planning shouldn’t be a stressful experience.

Your attorney is there to understand your needs and advise you on the type of plan that would best protect your assets. To ensure he or she has the right information to help you,

Here is a helpful checklist of things you should prepare prior to your meeting.



Inventory all of your assets and decide which you would like to include in your estate plan

Choosing which assets you will pass on to your loved is at the very heart of estate planning. As a result, it is best to take a thorough inventory of what you own, what you want to protect, and what you want to pass on to your family after you die.

Most often this includes real estate, bank accounts, stock, insurance, and any other assets with titles. Having these readily available during your meeting with an estate planning attorney will help them understand your goals so they can advise you on the right type of plan for you.



Decide who you want to pass your assets to after you die

Once you have a list of all of your assets, the next thing you want to think about is who you want to receive them after you die. These are known as your devisees if you are preparing a last will and testament or beneficiaries if you are preparing a living trust.

Often times these are a spouse, kids or grandkids. In your estate planning document you will be able to designate who will receive your assets and how much you want them to receive.



Think about who you want to manage your affairs after you die

You will need to select a person to execute your wishes and distribute your assets to your loved ones after you pass away.

If you get a last will and testament, this person is known as your personal representative. If you use a living trust, this person is known as your successor trustee.

Essentially, they are a person you trust that you appoint in your estate planning document to act on your behalf after you die. As a result, you should choose someone you trust that can handle such a big responsibility.



The Conclusion :

With so much information out there on the internet, estate planning can be confusing. One of the best ways to get customized information is to schedule an initial consultation with an Estate planning attorney.

To get the most out of the meeting, it is useful to have some information readily available to speak with the attorney about.

A full list of your assets, an understanding of who you want to pass these assets to, and identifying the individual you want to act on your behalf after you pass will all be really helpful to having a productive meeting with an estate planning attorney.


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Keywords: estate planning attorney, Estate planning attorney

By: smith clea

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