Estate Planning Needs Checklist

How To Discover The Best Strategies For You And Your Family

Estate planning is a process that can touch just about every area of your life. To help you determine which estate planning goals are most important to you, please take a moment to fill out this confidential questionnaire about your priorities for yourself and your family. This information is solely for your use in helping you evaluate various estate planning strategies. The information you submit is not sent to anyone or stored by our firm. We don’t expect you to show us your answers, although we will be glad to review them with you, if you so desire.

For each of the statements below, rank them 5 for “Very Important,” to 1 for “Unimportant.”


PART I. THE GOALS THAT MATTER TO YOU TODAY

IF I SHOULD BECOME SO INJURED OR ILL THAT I CAN’T MANAGE MY AFFAIRS FOR MYSELF:   Unimportant
Very Important
     
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2
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5
1. I want to choose the person or persons who will be responsible for overseeing my personal care and financial affairs; otherwise the courts will appoint someone for me who may not be my choice.  
2. I want to avoid conservatorship: a public proceeding where I’ll be declared incompetent and for which I’ll have to pay all legal and court costs.  
3. If my illness or injury is grave, I want my wishes for my final medical treatment followed. For instance, I want the ability to refuse heroic measures and invasive medical procedures if there’s no hope of recovery.  
4. If I am unable to act on my own behalf, I want someone I trust empowered to make health care decisions for me.  
5. Should I require long-term nursing care, I want to protect my assets and my spouse’s financial security. I understand that without careful planning, my spouse could be forced into destitution just so that I can be eligible for government assistance programs like Medicaid.  
6. I’ve been a successful investor, and now I want to reduce capital gains taxes on highly appreciated assets I own.  
7. I have a family-owned business that I want to protect from the ravages of lawsuits, taxes and other potential losses.  
8. I want maximum asset protection for my estate to safeguard it from potential lawsuits or creditor action.  

PART II: YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE FUTURE:

    Unimportant
Very Important
     
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5
1. After my death, I’d like my spouse and children to receive their inheritance from me as quickly, privately and efficiently as possible.  
2. I want to avoid an expensive Estate Administration process and protect my family's privacy.  
3. I want to leave behind a legacy to a charitable or nonprofit organization I admire and I want to generate tax breaks and income for myself and my family.  
4. I have a special-needs child who requires special care, and I want to make sure my child is well provided for long after I’m gone.  
5. I have life insurance to protect my loved ones, and I want to ensure that they use its proceeds wisely. I also want to ensure that my life insurance doesn’t create estate tax problems for my family.