Last month, we summarized four key estate planning documents; Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, Medical Power of Attorney and Advanced Directive (Also called a Living Will). Understanding each of these documents is a great start, however, the entire estate planning process requires some additional steps. Here, our experienced estate planning lawyers at Bienstock Law walk through what to expect during the process.
Step 1: Initial Estate Planning Consultation
We’ll chat with you over the phone and discuss all aspects of making a will as well as your other estate documents. (Once the public health crisis has passed, we look forward to resuming our in-person initial consultations.)
We’ll talk about the following estate plan questions:
- What are Specific Bequests? Contingent Bequests? General Bequests? Who do you want to leave your property to and how do you want it distributed?
- What a Guardian for your minor children is and how to choose one.
- What is a Pot Trust? Who do you want to be Trustee of that Trust?
- What is a Personal Representative, and who do you want to name?
- What are Powers of Attorney (medical and financial), why are they important, and who you wish to name?
- What exactly is a living will?
Step 2: Homework
You probably won’t know everything you want to have in your will at the end of our initial consultation. That’s normal. So you’ll have “homework” to do to get us the answers so we can finish drafting your documents.
Step 3: Drafting
After we have all your information and decisions, we’ll begin drafting. Depending on your urgency and our trial schedule, the documents should take between 2 and 3 weeks to complete.
Step 4: Signing
When the documents are complete, we’ll set up a time for you to come in and sign them in our office. We supply the witnesses in front of whom you must sign your documents (Please be assured that health and safety are a priority. During the pandemic, our standards are high for CDC compliance).
Discuss Your Estate Plan With Our Experienced Lawyers Today
Navigating the estate planning process can seem like a daunting task. However, with the help of an experienced estate planning lawyer, the process can be streamlined and stress-free. At Bienstock Law, it is our goal to ensure that you and your family are taken care of. To learn more about the estate planning process or to get started, please contact us!