Estate Planning Checklist
- Do you have a Will?
- If you have minor children, do you have a current Will which names Guardians?
- If the total gross value of all your assets is over $100,000, do you have a Living Trust?
- If you have a 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, including the care of any surviving pets?
- 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?
Legal Disclaimer
This information has been provided for informational purposes only. It does
not constitute legal advice. The receipt of this information does not establish
an attorney-client privilege. Proper legal advice can only be given upon consideration
of all the relevant facts and laws. Therefore you should not act upon any
of the information contained herein without seeking appropriate legal counsel.
Attorneys Judith Sterling and Michelle Tucker are both CPAs and licensed attorneys. They are the first two attorneys in Hawaii to be certified by the American Bar Association (ABA) accredited Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc., as Estate Planning Law Specialists, and are so certified by the Supreme Court of Hawaii. The Supreme Court of Hawaii grants Hawaii certification only to lawyers in good standing who have successfully completed a specialty program accredited by the ABA.
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Haseko Center Serving Maui and the Big Island by appointment 1-(800) 807-3820 |
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