The Estate Planning Process.
STEP ONE : DESIGN
Prior to our first meeting, you will complete a New Client Questionnaire which gives us an overview of who you are, what your financial assets look like, and the people involved in your life.
Then, at your Design Meeting, the completed New Client Questionnaire provides a great road map for us to follow as we begin to delve into the Design process... but it rarely tells the whole story.
As such, during our first meeting, yes, we will have a chance to discuss your assets and familial relationships, but importantly, we will also talk through any worrisome family dynamics, potential complexities involving your beneficiaries, what your assets might look like in the future, your aspirations, your thoughts, your concerns, and how we can best draft an Estate Plan with all these considerations in mind.
At the Design Meeting, we will (quite literally!) draw out your Estate Plan. We will then use my sketch to draft all the documents that make up your custom, personalized Estate Plan.
STEP TWO : SIGNING
About two weeks after your Design Meeting, you will sign your estate planning documents. At your Signing Appointment, we will go over every document in your Estate Plan with you- one by one- and, if all looks good, you will sign each document before the Notary Public.
Congratulations- when this meeting is complete, you have a valid Estate Plan! ​​​
STEP THREE : FUNDING
Your Estate Plan is technically complete after Step 2, but we still want to see you one last time before sending you on your way.
The Funding Meeting is short and sweet- we will give you instructions on how to "fund" your Trust (transfer ownership of assets, change beneficiary forms, ect.) to ensure that the estate planning documents that make up your Estate Plan work how they're supposed to.
The Funding Appointment is also a good opportunity for us to tie up any loose ends and for me to answer any final questions you might have.
STAYING UP-TO-DATE
Your Estate Plan is drafted in a way where it should last you a really, really long time. However, we always recommend you review your estate ​planning documents once a year to ensure everything is up-to-date. We love scheduling an annual sit-down with our clients where we can revisit their Estate Plan and make any necessary updates or adjustments.​