How to Prepare for an Estate Planning Meeting

Setting up an appointment with an estate planner is a great first step to take when creating an estate plan, but what comes next? The legal industry can be confusing, and it’s hard to know how to prepare for your appointment. While your attorney should be available to answer any questions you have, it never hurts to prepare on your own. Utilize the following tips to ensure your first estate planning meeting goes smoothly.

Locate important documents

Bringing important documents to your first appointment helps your estate planner structure the financial and personal aspects of your estate plan. Documents and information you should bring with you include:

• Financial documents, including retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and a list of assets
• The legal names and addresses of all heirs or institutions you plan to name in your documents
• A list of items, such as family heirlooms, you plan to leave to specific individuals

 

Make some decisions in advance

Making decisions before you meet with your estate planner can speed up the process of creating your documents. A large component of estate planning involves naming individuals to fill different roles in your estate plan. Deciding who you’d like those people to be in advance means you’ll be ready to go when your attorney asks who you have in mind for certain tasks, such as:

• A legal guardian for any children who are minors
• A personal representative to shepherd your estate through the probate process when you die
• Medical and durable powers of attorney to make medical and financial decisions on your behalf in the event of a medical emergency or incapacitatation

 

Talk to loved ones and those listed in your estate plan

Talking to the individuals listed in your documents is an important pre-meeting task to complete for several reasons. One, sharing that you’re working on your estate plan gives you the chance to explain the reasoning behind the decisions you’ve made. This can prevent family conflicts from occurring. Two, talking to the individuals you plan to have fill roles in your plan prevents those individuals from being blindsided when you need them. Being a legal guardian or personal representative requires taking on a lot of responsibility. It’s important to make sure the person you plan to name is up to the task.

How can Boyum Law Firm help you?

Boyum Law Firm can help you with your estate planning, Medicaid planning and probate law needs. To contact Boyum Law, click here.

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Estate planning resolutions for the new year

The new year is here. If you need a little help setting resolutions for 2019, consider the following estate planning goals for inspiration.

1. Create an estate plan or update your current plan

The first estate planning resolution you should add to your list for 2019 is to create a plan. From naming a legal guardian for your children to leaving instructions for medical emergencies, estate planning provides numerous benefits. You can reap these benefits with the creation of a few documents. If you already have an estate plan in place, the new year is the perfect time to review it. Sit down and consider any big life changes that have happened in the last year. Have you gotten married or divorced? Had children or a growth in assets? Has someone listed in your estate plan died? These are all important questions to ask so necessary updates can be made.

2. Add to your documents

Legacy planning was a buzz world in the estate planning industry in 2018 and for good reason. Many people want to have a lasting impact on their family. Legacy planning enables them to do that so future generations remember what mattered to those who’ve passed away. Adding documents, such as an ethical will, to your estate plan is an easy way to integrate legacy planning into estate planning.

3. Communicate with loved ones

It’s one thing to create estate planning documents. It’s another to talk to your loved ones about them. Death and finances are difficult topics to broach. Both happen to make up large components of the estate planning process. Open and honest communication with family members is important, however. Talking through your decision making process can prevent conflicts down the road when you’re gone. You’lll also be able to convey your expectations for passing assets and work through issues now. Make 2019 the year you establish open communication and transparency.

How can Boyum Law Firm help you?

Boyum Law Firm can help you with your estate planning, Medicaid planning and probate law needs. To contact Boyum Law, click here.

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