Consultation Guide
Preparing for Your Estate Planning Consultation
Thank you for scheduling an estate planning consultation with Nield Legacy Law. This page is here to help you prepare in a practical way so the meeting can feel more organized, more productive, and less overwhelming.
You do not need to have everything figured out before we meet. The purpose of the consultation is to talk through your situation together, answer your questions, and help you feel clearer about the next steps.
You do not need to have everything figured out before we meet.
Rough information is completely fine for an initial consultation.
Bring your questions — that is one of the main purposes of the meeting.
What to Bring If Available
The most helpful things to have nearby.
You do not need every item on this list, but these are some of the most helpful things to gather before the consultation if they are available.
Any existing trust, will, or estate planning documents
A recent deed for any real estate, if available
A rough list of your accounts, assets, and property
Names of the people you may want to include in your plan
Any questions or concerns you want to discuss
1. Your Goals
Think about what you would like your estate plan to help with.
A useful starting point is to think about the practical result you want your estate plan to achieve.
- Avoiding probate
- Making things easier for loved ones
- Protecting children or younger beneficiaries
- Choosing trusted decision-makers
- Updating an older trust or will
- Reducing the chance of confusion or conflict
2. Your Family and Beneficiaries
Think about the people you may want to include in your estate plan.
This may include a spouse, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, relatives, friends, or charities.
Questions to think about
- Who should receive your property after your death?
- Should everyone inherit equally?
- Are any beneficiaries minors, young adults, or receiving government benefits?
- Are there any family concerns or sensitive issues that should be discussed?
3. The People You May Want to Name
A major part of estate planning is deciding who should be trusted to act for you.
Before the consultation, it helps to begin thinking about who you may want in the following roles:
- Successor trustee
- Executor
- Financial agent
- Health care agent
- Guardian for minor children, if applicable
Helpful qualities to consider
4. Your Property, Accounts, and Assets
You do not need exact values, but it helps to have a general idea of what you own.
For an initial consultation, a rough overview is usually enough.
- Real estate
- Bank accounts
- Investment accounts
- Retirement accounts
- Life insurance
- Business interests
- Vehicles
- Valuable personal property
- Digital assets
- Significant debts or liabilities
If you own real estate, it is also helpful to think about whether the property is already in a trust and whether you have a copy of the most recent deed.
5. Beneficiary Designations
Some assets pass by beneficiary designation rather than through a trust or will.
This may include retirement accounts, life insurance, annuities, pensions, and transfer-on-death or pay-on-death accounts.
Please consider whether your beneficiary designations are current and whether they still match your wishes.
6. Health Care Wishes
Think about who you would trust to make medical decisions for you.
You may also want to consider any wishes regarding end-of-life care, organ donation, or personal, religious, or family preferences.
7. Existing Documents
If you already have estate planning documents, please try to locate them before the consultation.
Existing documents can be very helpful, even if they are old or incomplete.
- Trust
- Will
- Trust amendments or restatements
- Power of attorney
- Advance health care directive
- HIPAA authorization
- Deeds
- Beneficiary designations
8. Common Questions Before the Consultation
These are some of the most common questions people have before they meet.
Do I need a trust or just a will?
This depends on your goals, your assets, whether you want to avoid probate, and how much structure or protection you want built into the plan.
Who should I name as trustee?
The right trustee is usually someone responsible, reliable, organized, and able to handle practical and financial tasks.
What happens to my house?
That depends in part on how title is held, whether the home is transferred to a trust, and what your estate plan says should happen after your death.
What if I already have old documents?
That is completely fine. Existing documents are often very helpful because they show what you already have in place and what may need to be updated.
Do I need exact account balances?
No. For an initial consultation, a general understanding of what you own is usually enough.
What if I am not sure who to name yet?
That is also fine. The consultation is a good time to talk through your options and think about who may be the best fit for each role.
9. Final Note
You do not need to prepare perfectly.
Estate planning can feel overwhelming at first, but the consultation is designed to make the process clearer and more manageable. If you do not have every document or every answer yet, that is completely fine.
The goal is to talk through your situation, identify the main decisions, and help you feel more comfortable with the next steps.
We talk through your situation
The consultation is meant to help you explain your family, your goals, and any concerns you may have.
We identify the main decisions
We discuss the people you may want to name, how you want things distributed, and what type of planning may make the most sense.
You receive clarity on next steps
The goal is for you to leave the consultation with a better understanding of your options and how the process works moving forward.