Total Estate Value Please provide an approximate value of your total estate, including assets you own individually, jointly, or otherwise control. This may include real estate, bank and retirement accounts, investments, life insurance, business interests, vehicles, jewelry, and other valuable property.
About You Please provide some basic information about yourself. This information will be used to help prepare your estate planning documents. Please make sure your answers are accurate and up to date.
Your Spouse Information Please provide your spouse’s current information. Be sure their name, email address, and phone number are accurate and up to date, as this information may be used in preparing your estate planning documents.
Children and Beneficiaries What is a testamentary trust? A testamentary trust is a trust that is created after your death. It allows a trustee to manage and hold a beneficiary’s inheritance until the beneficiary reaches an age you choose, such as 18 or an older age.
For example, you may choose to have a child’s inheritance held in trust until they reach age 25, rather than having them receive the inheritance outright at age 18.
If your child is over 18, you are not required to leave them an inheritance. If you are considering disinheriting a child or beneficiary, please contact our team to discuss your options.
Beneficiary Information Name beneficiaries if you have no children.
Children Please answer the questions based on your current family situation. You will then be asked to provide information for each child, including their full legal name, date of birth, and other applicable information. Children under 18: If you have a child under 18, additional questions will ask you to select a guardian and, where applicable, a trustee to manage the child's inheritance. Children with special needs: If you have a child with special needs, please indicate this so that the appropriate planning options can be considered. Additional information may be requested. Testamentary trusts: A testamentary trust is created after your death and allows a trustee to manage a child's inheritance until an age or condition specified in your estate plan. You may choose to establish a trust for your children rather than having them receive their inheritance outright. Important: If you are married, your estate plan may provide for your spouse first, with assets passing to your children if your spouse does not survive you. Assets with beneficiary designations, such as certain retirement accounts and life insurance policies, generally pass according to those designations rather than your Will. Be sure to consider these assets when planning your estate. If you do not want your estate to pass to your spouse first and then to your children, or if you wish to disinherit a child or beneficiary, please contact our office to discuss your options.
Children's Information About Your Children and Their Inheritance Please provide the requested information for each child and/or stepchild, including their full legal name, date of birth, and parent(s). How your children's inheritance is divided: You can choose to divide the inheritance equally among your children or specify different shares for each child. When your children receive their inheritance: If you choose to establish a trust for your children, you can select the age at which they receive the trust principal. Until that time, a trustee can manage the assets held in the trust according to the terms of your estate plan. For example: You may choose for a child's inheritance to remain in trust until age 25 rather than having the child receive the full inheritance at age 18. Important: If you are married, your estate plan may provide for your spouse first, with your children inheriting under the terms of your plan if your spouse does not survive you. Assets that have their own beneficiary designation, such as certain retirement accounts and life insurance policies, generally pass according to those beneficiary designations rather than your Will. Consider both your estate-plan provisions and your beneficiary designations when planning how your assets will be distributed. If you do not intend for your spouse to receive your estate first, or if you want to disinherit a child or beneficiary, please contact the attorney or law firm before completing your plan. Additional planning may be necessary.
Guardians for Your Minor Children What is a legal guardian? A legal guardian is a person appointed to care for a minor child and make decisions for the child when the child's parents are no longer able to do so. A guardian is generally responsible for the child's day-to-day care, including their physical and personal needs, until the child reaches adulthood.
Choosing a guardian You can name one or more people you would like to serve as guardians for your minor children. Consider choosing someone you trust who is able and willing to care for your children. If your chosen guardian is married and you would like their spouse to serve with them, use “Add” to include the spouse.
Stepchildren If you have a stepchild, the child's surviving biological parent may have legal parental rights and may remain the child's guardian unless those rights have been legally terminated or otherwise changed by a court. Your selection in this questionnaire does not automatically override existing parental rights.
Alternate guardians You may also name alternate guardian(s) to serve if your primary guardian cannot or will not serve. If you name more than one alternate guardian, you will be asked whether you want them to serve jointly or according to the arrangement provided in your estate plan.
Children’s Trustee A Trustee is the person who manages the assets held in trust for your children. Your Spouse will be your default trustee. You can name an alternative trustee should be your spouse or primary trustee not service. The Executor is the person who administers the estate. Its common to have the same person be the Executor and Trustee. You can overwrite Primary Trustee. 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. If you select that you would like your Trustees to serve jointly, you will want to select the “serve jointly” button next to each Trustee who you wish to have serve jointly. If you wish to have only two Trustees serve jointly and another Trustee serve individually, please only select the box next to the two joint Trustees and leave the box unselected next to the Trustee you wish to serve individually.
Children’s Trustee-Spouse/Partner A Trustee is the person who manages the assets held in trust for your children. Your Spouse will be your default trustee. You can name an alternative trustee should be your spouse or primary trustee not service. The Executor is the person who administers the estate. Its common to have the same person be the Executor and Trustee. You can overwrite Primary Trustee. 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. If you select that you would like your Trustees to serve jointly, you will want to select the “serve jointly” button next to each Trustee who you wish to have serve jointly. If you wish to have only two Trustees serve jointly and another Trustee serve individually, please only select the box next to the two joint Trustees and leave the box unselected next to the Trustee you wish to serve individually.
Personal Representative What is a Personal Representative? A Personal Representative, also known as an Executor, is responsible for handling your estate after your death. This may include managing your assets, paying debts, expenses and taxes, and distributing your remaining assets according to your Will or applicable state law. Choose someone you trust who is responsible, organized, and comfortable handling financial matters or working with professional advisors. Choosing More Than One Personal Representative You may choose more than one person to serve as your Personal Representatives. If they serve jointly, they will generally need to work together when making decisions. Consider whether your chosen representatives can communicate and work well together. Law Firm as Personal Representative If probate is required, your estate plan may provide for the law firm preparing your documents to assist with or administer the probate process. If you have questions about this option, please discuss it with the attorney.
Personal Representative - Spouse/Partner What is a Personal Representative? A Personal Representative, also known as an Executor, is responsible for handling your estate after your death. This may include managing your assets, paying debts, expenses and taxes, and distributing your remaining assets according to your Will or applicable state law. Choose someone you trust who is responsible, organized, and comfortable handling financial matters or working with professional advisors. Choosing More Than One Personal Representative You may choose more than one person to serve as your Personal Representatives. If they serve jointly, they will generally need to work together when making decisions. Consider whether your chosen representatives can communicate and work well together. Law Firm as Personal Representative If probate is required, your estate plan may provide for the law firm preparing your documents to assist with or administer the probate process. If you have questions about this option, please discuss it with the attorney.
Financial Power of Attorney About Your Financial Power of Attorney A Power of Attorney Agent is the person you name to handle financial matters on your behalf during your lifetime. When authorized to act, your Agent can carry out the duties provided in your Power of Attorney without court involvement. When choosing an Agent, consider someone you trust who is responsible and comfortable handling financial matters. Your Agent may be the same person you choose as your Executor, but the roles are different: Power of Attorney Agent: Acts on your behalf during your lifetime. Executor/Personal Representative: Handles your estate after your death, when appointed through the probate process. You may choose more than one Agent. If you choose for Agents to serve jointly, they will generally need to make decisions together according to the terms of your Power of Attorney. Consider whether the people you choose can work well together.
Financial POA-Spouse/Partner A Power of Attorney Agent is the person you name in your Power of Attorney to step into your shoes to handle (financial matters for you) .When the Power of Attorney Agent has power to act, they then have legal authority to carry out what is authorized in the document without the need of court involvement. A Power of Attorney Agent can only act in their capacity as agent for you. When picking a Power of Attorney Agent, since this is a financial role, your analysis of who it should be is very similar to how you chose who should serve as your Executor . In a way, they can be similar roles – it’s just that the Power of Attorney Agent can only act on your behalf during your life and the Executor can only act when appointed by the Probate Court after your death. Because of this, it’s not uncommon to have the same helper serving in both roles. If you choose to have your agents serve jointly, your agents will have to make decisions together by majority decision. In choosing whether your agents should serve jointly, you should consider whether your agents would be able to get along and make decisions together. If you select that you would like your agents to serve jointly, you will want to select the “serve jointly” button next to each agent who you wish to have serve jointly. If you wish to have only two agents serve jointly and another agent serve individually, please only select the box next to the two joint agents and leave the box unselected next to the agent you wish to serve individually.
Health Care POA Your Health Care Agent can make medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated and are unable to make or communicate your own decisions. When choosing a Health Care Agent, consider someone you trust who would be comfortable making medical decisions on your behalf and who understands your wishes regarding medical care and end-of-life decisions. You may choose more than one Health Care Agent. If you choose for Agents to serve jointly, they will generally need to make decisions together according to the terms of your Health Care Power of Attorney. Consider whether the people you choose can communicate well and work together when making important medical decisions.
Health Care POA - Spouse/Partner Your Health Care Agent can make medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated and are unable to make or communicate your own decisions. When choosing a Health Care Agent, consider someone you trust who would be comfortable making medical decisions on your behalf and who understands your wishes regarding medical care and end-of-life decisions. You may choose more than one Health Care Agent. If you choose for Agents to serve jointly, they will generally need to make decisions together according to the terms of your Health Care Power of Attorney. Consider whether the people you choose can communicate well and work together when making important medical decisions.
Living Will A Living Will is a general declaration regarding your end-of-life wishes if you are unable to communicate them yourself. It provides written declaration to your agent that you would not want any extraordinary measures or procedures to prolong your life unnecessarily if a physician indicates that you suffer from a terminal condition or a state of permanent unconsciousness, such as a permanent coma or persistent vegetative state, and there is no realistic hope of significant recovery. If you choose to have multiple Living Will Agents serve jointly, your Living Will Agents will have to make decisions together by majority decision. In choosing whether your Living Will Agents should serve jointly, you should consider whether your Living Will Agents would be able to get along and make decisions together that are consistent with your beliefs. If you don’t have your agents serve jointly, they will be able to serve individually, with each having the power to act individually or jointly under your Living Will document.
Disclaimer and Privacy Policy Disclaimer and Privacy Policy Document
Additional Information What should I include? You may use this section to share additional facts, questions, concerns, or general instructions about how you would like your estate to be handled. You do not need to use legal language. For example: “I want everything to go to my wife, then to my children.” “I have a question about leaving something to a specific person.” “I have additional information I would like the attorney to know.” The attorney will review the information and determine whether any additional planning or changes to your estate plan may be needed.