How to Prepare for Your First Meeting with an Estate Planning Lawyer

You’ve finally committed yourself to establishing an estate plan and have set up a meeting with an attorney. Great! But how do you prepare for that first meeting and what information should you bring with you?

Below is a brief overview of what you should do to prepare so that your meeting goes as smoothly as possible.

• Special circumstances: Come up with a list of all the unusual or special circumstances surrounding your estate. Do you have a loved one with a disability? Do you run a family business? Do you have a blended family with children from a previous relationship or marriage? Any of these circumstances will affect your estate plan.
• Accounts: Have a list of all the accounts you already have in place, including retirement accounts, bank accounts, life insurance policies, property held in joint tenancy and anything else that might have a beneficiary.
• Real estate information: Do you own real estate? Make sure you have all the information, including address, market value, outstanding balance on the mortgage and anything else that may be helpful to consider in your estate plan.
• Business information: If you do run a family business, bring information about the type of business, its assets and financial standing, its location and financial documents relating to the company.
• Family information: Be prepared to provide your attorney with a list of names, ages and contact information for your spouse, former spouse(s) (if applicable), children, stepchildren and grandchildren. Have the information of anyone else who may be beneficiaries as well, including parents, siblings, other family and friends.
• Goals: What goals do you have for your estate plan? Be prepared to discuss this with your attorney. Beyond passing down assets to your beneficiaries, you may also wish to leave behind assets to charity, for example.

For the guidance and advice you need when engaging in estate planning, consult an experienced Florida attorney at BaumannKangas Estate Law.