Welcome to our Digital Intake Thank you for using our Digital Intake Form. Our firm collects this information to ensure you are meeting with the right team and gives us a head start on understanding your unique situation. By providing as much information as possible prior to your appointment, it allows us to make the best use of our time together during your first appointment. All information asked is optional and you only need to share information you are comfortable with disclosing. Additional details can be discussed during your appointment. Please select the reason for meeting with our office. If you are not sure, please select Other and add a brief note about why you contacted our office. By knowing what is most important to you, it helps our firm better prepare to answer your questions.
Applicant Information Please let our office know if you are completing this intake for yourself or a loved one. If for a loved one, please indicate your relationship to the applicant. By providing our office with information regarding any health issues, it helps us to get an understanding of what care may be needed in the future or possible benefits you may be eligible to receive. If you are interested in special needs planning, please do not complete this intake with information for the child or beneficiary with a special need. The person that would like to set up planning for the person with a special need should complete this section. There will be a section to add information on the person with a special needs later in this intake.
General Information Please answer yes or no to the questions on this page.
Personal and Family Information If you are completing this form for yourself, please enter your information and, if applicable, your spouse’s information. If you are completing this form for a loved one, please enter their information and spouse’s, if applicable, and your information.
Applicant Spouse Information Please use your legal name as it appears on your license or government-issue ID
Children and Beneficiaries If you have minor children, you will be provided with the option to establish a trust for their benefit. A children's trust is a trust funded after your passing. The trust is held for the benefit of your children until they reach a certain age. This allows for a trustee to manage a child’s inheritance until they reach a mature age.
Children When answering these questions, please include all children, regardless of age, including any stepchildren. FOR MINOR CHILDREN: If you have a child under the age of 18, we recommend setting up a standalone Children’s Trust to manage their inheritance. This trust helps protect their inheritance from creditors, decreases estate administration costs and ensures that your beneficiaries receive their inheritance at an age that you specify. When you set up a Children’s Trust, you and your spouse will be the primary trustees (unless you designate someone else). You will also be asked to name successor trustees to manage the Children’s Trust if you and your spouse are unavailable (due to death, disability or otherwise). FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN: For a child with special needs who currently receives or may qualify for governmental benefits such as Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income, we recommend creating a separate special needs trust. This arrangement ensures that your child can inherit funds without jeopardizing their eligibility for these crucial benefits. This type of trust required additional counselling with your attorney. Please contact the office at 215-997-9773 to make a complimentary appointment to discuss more comprehensive planning.
Children Information Please provide the full legal name, date of birth, and parental status for each child and step-child. Please remember, if you are married, this estate planning tool will leave your estate to your spouse. This division of property will only happen if your spouse predeceases you. Your Last Will and Testament will distribute assets in your estate at the time of your death. Any assets that have named beneficiaries will follow those instructions rather than your Last Will and Testament. It is important to consider both types of assets when deciding how your estate will be divided. If you do not intend to leave everything to your spouse first and then your children, you will need additional planning beyond the scope of this online estate planning tool, and we recommend you call our office at (919)-372-0060 for a free Needs Assessment call.
Beneficiary Information In deciding how to distribute your assets, please note that if you are married, we assume that you will leave all of your assets to your spouse and then your children (if applicable). In this section, you are being asked to designate a beneficiary to receive your assets if you are not married at the time of your death and have no children. Your beneficiary may be an individual(s) or a charity. If you decide to leave assets to a charity, please provide the full name and location of the charity. NOTE: Your beneficiary will only receive assets that pass through your Will. Assets that have named beneficiaries, such as life insurance policies, retirement accounts, annuities, etc., will be distributed according to the beneficiary forms you completed.
Guardians for Your Minor Children In your Will, it is important to designate a Guardian for your minor child. This person will be responsible for the day-to-day care and upbringing of your child if you and your spouse are no longer living or unable to care for your child. Many considerations go into the determination regarding who you would like to be the guardian of your minor child as each family’s situation is unique. Some things to consider are whether the guardian’s values and parenting philosophy aligns with yours, whether the guardian is financially and emotionally stable, the location of the guardian and their age and health. CAUTION: If you are divorced, please note that the surviving biological parent is typically favored by the courts to be named as guardian. If you choose to name someone other than the surviving biological parent as the first guardian, the legal system may still grant custody to the surviving biological parent unless that parent has been legally deemed unfit to serve as parent/guardian. We do not recommend selecting more than one individual (such as a married couple) to be co-guardians as this can introduce potential complications. For instance, if the couple separates/divorces, it may disrupt the stability of your child’s upbringing. If you do choose to have co-guardians who will serve jointly, the co-guardians will have to make decisions together so be sure that they are able to get along.
Total Estate Value The value of your total estate includes all assets held in your individual name, jointly, or that you control. Assets can include, but are not limited to, real estate, your retirement accounts, bank accounts, brokerage/stock accounts, business interests, and valuable jewelry and collectibles. The value of the assets goes by either the amount of money held in the account or the fair market value of any real estate, tangible property, or intangible asset (e.g. business interest).
Real Estate Please provide information regarding the assets you own. This information helps our firm to understand the size of your estate, where your assets are held, debts you may owe, and any business interests. All these factors affect the planning and recommendations that our firm provides for you. It is important to provide as much information as possible. If you do not know exact figures, please enter your best estimate or “unknown.” If you are not sure of any asset information, please make a note at the end of this form and we can discuss further during your first appointment.
Estate Planning Objectives
Assets Information Please provide information regarding the assets you own. This information helps our firm to understand the size of your estate, where your assets are held, debts you may owe, and any business interests. All these factors affect the planning and recommendations that our firm provides for you. It is important to provide as much information as possible. If you do not know exact figures, please enter your best estimate or “unknown.” If you are not sure of any asset information, please make a note at the end of this form and we can discuss further during your first appointment.
Trustee The trustee of your minor’s trust is responsible for managing the trust assets and making investment and distribution decisions as outlined in the trust’s terms. The trustee will have legal fiduciary duties to manage the trust assets prudently. This individual should be someone you trust implicitly to manage financial matters responsibly and in the best interests of your minor child. It is not uncommon for the guardian and trustee to be the same person. We recommend naming a primary and secondary trustee. We do not recommend naming co-trustees as this can lead to complications due to potential disagreements, inefficiency and divided accountability. Should you wish to name co-guardians, please consider selecting individuals who get along.
Assets Information Continued Please provide information regarding the assets you own. This information helps our firm to understand the size of your estate, where your assets are held, debts you may owe, and any business interests. All these factors affect the planning and recommendations that our firm provides for you. It is important to provide as much information as possible. If you do not know exact figures, please enter your best estimate or “unknown.” If you are not sure of any asset information, please make a note at the end of this form and we can discuss further during your first appointment.
Trustee-Spouse/Life Partner A Trustee is the person who manages the assets held in trust for your child(ren). This trust will be in effect for your child(ren) immediately upon signing and can be used to hold funds for their benefit during your lifetime. You can name a successor trustee should you and your spouse, if applicable, be unable to serve. If you choose to have your Trustees serve jointly, your Trustees will have to make decisions together by majority decision. In choosing whether your Trustees should serve jointly, you should consider whether your Trustees would be able to get along and make decisions together.
Monthly Income Please provide your monthly income information on this page. By knowing your monthly income, it helps our firm know what types of benefits you may be eligible for.
Executor The Executor (also known as a Personal Representative) is the person appointed by a probate court to settle your estate. The Executor’s job is to identify and obtain access to your assets, make sure that your expenses and taxes are paid and distribute assets to your beneficiaries. The Executor’s role is both financial and managerial. Therefore, consider naming someone who you believe is good with finances or who would be willing to get professional help to guide them so that they can make prudent and reasonable decisions. We recommend not choosing to have Executors serve jointly as this can unnecessarily complicate the administration of your estate since the co-Executors will have to make decisions jointly and both may be required to sign court filings, contracts, checks, and other documents. If you decide that you would like your agents to serve jointly, please consider selecting individuals who get along. Previous
Additional Information
Spouse/Partner - Executor The Executor (also known as a Personal Representative) is the person appointed by a probate court to settle your estate. The Executor’s job is to identify and obtain access to your assets, make sure that your expenses and taxes are paid and distribute assets to your beneficiaries. The Executor’s role is both financial and managerial. Therefore, consider naming someone who you believe is good with finances or who would be willing to get professional help to guide them so that they can make prudent and reasonable decisions. We recommend not choosing to have Executors serve jointly as this can unnecessarily complicate the administration of your estate since the co-Executors will have to make decisions jointly and both may be required to sign court filings, contracts, checks, and other documents. If you decide that you would like your agents to serve jointly, please consider selecting individuals who get along and can work together.
Referral Information We are so happy you found us, and we would like to know where you learned about our firm. This information helps us to ensure we are marketing in the correct areas and thanking our referrals. All client information is kept confidential when sending thank you notes.
Attorney-in-fact Your attorney-in-fact will manage your business and financial affairs during your lifetime (e.g. paying your bills, filing taxes, making investments). The attorney-in-fact operates under a “Durable Power of Attorney” that takes effect immediately. When choosing an attorney-in-fact you should consider someone with knowledge of your finances and their ability to manage such. You should name an alternate in the event your first choice is unable to serve. Most clients appoint their spouse to serve as first choice. Please state your choices.
Spouse/Partner – Attorney-in-fact Your attorney-in-fact will manage your business and financial affairs during your lifetime (e.g. paying your bills, filing taxes, making investments). The attorney-in-fact operates under a “Durable Power of Attorney” that takes effect immediately. When choosing an attorney-in-fact you should consider someone with knowledge of your finances and their ability to manage such. You should name an alternate in the event your first choice is unable to serve. Most clients appoint their spouse to serve as first choice. Please state your choices.
Advance Medical Directive Your agent will be responsible for personal and medical decisions for you if you are incapacitated and cannot do so yourself. You should consider alternates in case your first choice is unable to serve. Most clients appoint their spouse to serve as first choice. Please state your choices.
Advance Medical Directive-Spouse/Partner Your agent will be responsible for personal and medical decisions for you if you are incapacitated and cannot do so yourself. You should consider alternates in case your first choice is unable to serve. Most clients appoint their spouse to serve as first choice. Please state your choices.
Assets Briefly detail your assets so we can determine the best estate planning methods for you. Do not worry about being exact with the fair market value (approximations are acceptable).