Is there anything I need to do before my first appointment?

Quick Answer

Bring a list of what you own and what you owe, copies of any existing documents, and the names of the people you would trust in each role. You do not need to have decided anything. The list is what makes the hour productive, and most people arrive without one.

What to bring

A list of assets and debts. Bank and investment accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance, real estate, vehicles, business interests, and anything owed. Rough figures are fine. We are not auditing you, we are working out what your plan has to cover.

How each asset is titled. This one matters more than the balance. Sole name, joint with survivorship, in a trust, or with a beneficiary named. If you are not sure, bring the deed and a recent statement and we will read them together.

Your beneficiary designations. Retirement accounts, life insurance, payable-on-death forms. These override your will, and they are the most common place we find a plan quietly undermined.

Any existing documents. A will, trust, or power of attorney, however old. Bring the actual document rather than your memory of it.

Names for the roles. Who would you want making medical decisions, who would handle money, who would raise minor children, and who would administer your estate. First choices and alternates.

What to think about beforehand

Who you trust, and honestly why. The person who is closest to you is not always the person best suited to manage money or say no under pressure.

Whether anyone in your family needs protecting rather than simply inheriting: a minor, someone with a disability receiving benefits, someone with creditors, someone struggling with addiction.

Whether long-term care is a realistic concern for you or a parent, because that changes the conversation substantially.

Any family situation we should know about. Estrangement, a blended family, a previous marriage, a child you support informally. None of it shocks us, and all of it affects the plan.

What you do not need to do

You do not need to have decided anything. People delay making an appointment because they have not settled who should be executor. That is part of what the conversation is for.

You do not need exact numbers. Ranges are fine.

You do not need to be embarrassed about what you have or have not done. Everyone arrives having done something they now wish they had not.

If this is about a parent

Bring what you can find, and be honest about what you cannot.

Their documents if they exist, and whether anyone holds a power of attorney. Where they are living and what care they currently need. Whether a facility or a discharge planner has already said anything about Medicaid. Whether anyone has already moved money.

That last one matters enormously and families are often reluctant to mention it. Tell us. It changes the advice, and finding out later is worse.

Attend a webinar first if you can

Our weekly webinar runs every Thursday at 1pm with a different topic each week. Families who attend one arrive with better questions and get more out of the time.

I always tell people I do not expect you to remember everything. Just enough to know you need to ask a question.

Your next step

Schedule a complimentary 15-minute Strategy Session at 404-549-5001. Fifteen minutes is usually enough to tell you what your situation actually calls for.

More is on our Estate Planning page.

Related questions

• Why should I attend a webinar prior to meeting with Shannon?
• When is the appropriate time to begin planning?
• What should be the ultimate goal of estate planning?
• What sets us apart?

This page is presented for educational purposes only and nothing on it should be treated as legal advice. What applies to you is very fact specific to your situation and your family. Our attorneys are licensed in Georgia and Michigan. This area of law has frequent statutory and policy changes.

   

Looking to find an experienced estate lawyer in the Georgia area who is skilled in asset protection and estate plan preparation? Shannon Pawley is an attorney in Georgia with expertise in estate planning and asset protection. Shannon can provide assistance with creating an estate plan to include making a will and how to establish a trust properly. If you have questions about asset protection or questions about making an estate plan, reach out to Shannon and she will be glad to help answer all the estate planning questions you might have!