What To Bring
Here is a list of things that you will want to bring to your meeting.
The most important part of our meeting is for us to talk and discuss your needs and questions. However, if possible, please try to also bring the following information to your meeting. Please click on the list that describes the purpose of your meeting—if you have questions on any of these items, please feel free to call or email us!
- Prior Documents – If you have prior estate planning documents (Will, Trust, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Representative Appointments, Living Wills), please bring those with you.
- Bank and Investment Accounts – Please either make a list of accounts, or bring current account statements for all bank, investment, and retirements accounts.
- Other Assets – Please either make a list of, or bring other information on, other large assets, such as real estate, life insurance policies, etc.
- Beneficiary Information – Please make sure that you know the details of any accounts/assets that have: joint owners, beneficiaries, transfer on death designations, or payable on death designations
- Name List – List of full legal names, relationships, and addresses of anyone who will be an heir, or that you are considering appointing as a representative, such as an Executor, Power of Attorney, Health Care Representative, etc. Also, date of birth for anyone who is under 18.
- Things to Consider: Do you have any specific items that you want to list to go to certain people?
- Things to Consider: Who will be your heirs? It is best to think about percentages when considering multiple people.
- Things to Consider: If one of your heirs dies before you, what do you want to happen to that heir’s inheritance? This means “alternate provisions”
- Things to Consider: If an heir is currently a child, what age do you want that child do receive his/her inheritance (18 is minimum); who do you want to hold the inheritance for the child until he/she reaches that age? Do you want the holder to be able to use the inheritance on behalf of the child, or simply to hold it until your selected age?
- Things to Consider: Who do you want to appoint to be in charge of settling your affairs after death? (Executor)
- Things to Consider: Who do you want to make medical decisions for you in the event of a serious accident or illness? (Health Care Representative)
- Things to Consider: Who do you want to handle financial and business matters for you in the event of a serious accident or illness? (Financial Power of Attorney)
For those with loved one is already in a nursing home, or who are anticipating nursing home admission within the next 6 months
- Bank – Bank statements for all accounts from the past 6 months (all pages, even if blank); Current balances in all bank accounts.
- Investments – Most recent investment/financial account statements for all accounts (all pages). This includes stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs, retirement accounts, annuities, etc.
- Income – Documentation of all income (This includes paystubs, pension statements, Social Security annual benefit amount letter, annuity payments, business or rental income, etc.).
- Real Estate – The Deed and/or property tax statement for any real estate owned.
- Vehicles – Titles and/or registrations for any cars, truck, motorcycles, RVs, trailers, and other titled motor vehicles.
- Life Insurance – The actual policy for any life insurance owned and a statement of current cash surrender value, if it has a surrender value. If it does not, something in writing stating this. You may need to contact the life insurance company to obtain this information in writing.
- Long-Term Care Insurance (nursing home insurance) – if you have this kind of insurance, MAKE SURE THAT YOU BRING in the actual policy and current coverage updates. You may need to contact the company and check the current status of your available coverage.
- Pre-Paid Funeral – The policy/contract for any prepaid funeral arrangements.
- Legal Documents – All legal documents (This would include Powers of Attorney, Healthcare Representative Appointment, Last Will and Testament, Trusts, etc.).
- Gifts – Have you made any large gifts ($1000 or over) in the past 5 years, or given away any interest in real estate? Vehicles? Other titled items? If so, documentation of those gifts (dates and amounts).
- Sales – Information on any real estate, vehicles or other titled items (such as trailers and motorcycles) that you have sold in the last 5 years.
- Closures – Information on any bank accounts or investment accounts that you have closed or moved in the last 5 years.
- Admission Dates – Please know the date of any recent hospital admissions and/or nursing home/rehab admissions.
- Bills and Debts – Information on regular monthly bills and outstanding debts, such as mortgage balance, credit cards, large outstanding medical bills and other large debts.
- Taxes – If filing income taxes, most recent tax return and all 1099s/other attachments.
- Bank – Recent bank statements (all pages) for all accounts.
- Investments – Investment/financial account statements for all accounts (all pages). (This includes stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs, retirement accounts, annuities, etc.).
- Income – Information on all income you receive.
- Real Estate – The Deed and/or property tax statement or assessment for any real estate owned.
- Life Insurance – Information on any life insurance policies that you may have, including current cash surrender value and death benefit.
- Long-Term Care Insurance – Long-Term Care insurance (nursing home insurance), if you have this kind of insurance, bring in the actual policy and any other information you have about this insurance.
- Legal Documents – All legal documents (This would include Powers of Attorney, Healthcare Representative Appointment, Last Will and Testament, Trusts, etc.)
- Gifts – Have you made any large gifts ($5000 or over) in the past 5 years, or given away any interest in real estate? Vehicles? If so, documentation of those gifts (dates and amounts).
- Debts – Information on outstanding debts, such as mortgage balance, credit cards, large outstanding medical bills and other large debts.
- Taxes – If filing income taxes, most recent tax return and all 1099s/other attachments.
- Deed – Deeds to your real estate.
- Property Taxes – Recent property tax statements or assessments.
- Mortgage – If you have a mortgage or home equity loan, a recent statement showing the balance owed.
- Other Assets – A rough list of other assets/investments (bank accounts, investments, retirement accounts, etc.).
- Gifts – Have you made any large gifts (over $10,000.00) in the last 5 years? If so, information on those gifts.
- Long-Term Care Insurance – Long-Term Care insurance (nursing home insurance), if you have this kind of insurance, bring in the actual policy and any other information you have about this insurance.
- Original death certificate.
- All legal documents – Will/Trust/Amendments, etc.
- Recent statements for all bank account, investments accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance and other assets.
- Please determine (if possible) if there are any joint owners, beneficiary designations, or transfer on death designations for any of those accounts, and who the beneficiary(ies) might be.
- List of people who are named as heirs or beneficiaries, including full legal names and current addresses.
- For any real estate owned, the deed and recent property tax statement or assessments, along with information on any mortgage balance or home equity loan and information on any other assets owned by the deceased person.
- Information on all possible outstanding debts.
- Most recent year’s income tax return (1040) and all attachments (W-2s, 1099s, etc.), if the person filed.