ESTATE PLANNING CHECKLIST

• Do you have a Will?
• If you have minor children, do you have a current Will which names Guardians?
• Do you have pets?  Do you know how they will be taken care of should you pass before them?
• Do you have Living Trust?  Have you transferred your assets into it?
• In case you become disabled, have you nominated someone to handle your financial affairs?
• Do you have a current Health Care Power of Attorney that provides the names, addresses and telephone numbers of your designated agents to handle your medical care if you’re disabled?
• Do you have provisions in your Trust or Will that address the issue of death taxes?
• If you want to make gifts to charities at your death, are they clearly set forth in your planning documents?
• Do your planning documents clearly set forth how your personal property will be distributed at your death?
• Since you signed your planning documents, have you changed your mind about any aspect of the plan?
• Has the value of your assets substantially changed since you signed your planning documents?
• Have you substantially changed the kind of assets you own since your planning documents were signed?
• Have you recently been married, divorced or widowed since your estate planning documents were signed?
• Have you had children since your estate planning documents were signed?
• Have your children had children?
• Have any of your children been married, divorced or died since your planning documents were signed?
• Have you, your spouse or child become physically or mentally incapacitated since your planning documents were signed?
• Have you bought or sold a house or other piece of property since your planning documents were signed?
• Are you contemplating selling stock or other valuable assets with a low cost basis?
• Have you moved between states since your planning documents were signed?
• If you have a Living Trust, are Medicaid triggers in place to ensure that at the appropriate time Medicaid planning can be implemented?