Considering your own mortality is never a pleasant task, but it is necessary to assist both your family and your business to transition after you’re gone. One way to plan ahead is to work with an experienced estate planner. He or she will provide a list of the information you’ll need to gather so the paperwork necessary to effectuate your wishes can be developed. Your advisor will request many documents some of which are:
- Wills of both spouses
- Power of Attorney
- Directive to Physician
- Community property agreement
- Transfer to minor account information
- Trusts
- Tax returns
- Birth and marriage certificates
- Divorce decrees with settlement information
- Employee benefits statements
- Loans information
- Vehicle registrations
- Bank and brokerage statements
- Insurance policies
Excerpt from Exit Insight: Getting to “Sold,” pp. 163
Copyright © 2014 by Joseph M. Maas. All rights reserved.
There are many more steps needed to prepare an appropriate estate plan, but this checklist will get you started. Have questions about estate planning? The financial planning experts at Synergetic Finance can help. Call us today at 206-275-5455 for a complimentary consultation.
