Estate Planning 101

Estate Planning provides an arrangement for the use, management, investment, conservation and transfer of an individual’s property during their lifetime or after death. Estate plans vary by an individual’s circumstances, family needs, estate size and wishes.

Once a meeting is booked, what happens at the initial client meeting?

Prior to the initial meeting, an Estate Planning Questionnaire is sent to the prospective client for information gathering purposes. This is to determine the appropriate & best estate planning tools, and to ensure the client’s objectives are met.

Information collected on the Questionnaire include: Client assets, Children, Citizenship, Marital Status, and Desired Fiduciaries (individuals you would want to handle your affairs).

Estate Planning Tools

Will: The client decides how their assets should be distributed after death & who should oversee that process. It may also address post-death concerns such as caring for a minor, disabled child or pet.

Trust: A legal document in which a client transfers property to a trustee to administer on behalf of one or more beneficiaries according to its terms.

Powers of Attorney: A legal instrument by which an individual authorizes another to make business, financial, medical or personal decisions on their behalf.

Execution/Signing Ceremony

Once the estate planning documents have been reviewed and finalized by the client and I, a signing ceremony takes place. Present at the ceremony is the client, two witnesses, a Notary Public and myself.

Once signed, the originals are taken to be put on file and the originals and copies are then provided to distribute to the appropriate fiduciaries, institutions, and medical professionals.

Want to learn more about your customized Estate Planning needs?

Book a Legal Consultation above under “Book Now”.