Information Needed for Planning

• Any real estate you own (such as your home) and its approximate value.
• Savings — bank accounts, money market accounts, CDs — amounts and the financial institutions where they are deposited.
• Investments — stocks, bonds, mutual funds — identify the investments, amounts, and where the accounts are located.
• Retirement accounts — 401(k), IRA, pension, Keogh accounts, government benefits, profit sharing plans — identify the accounts, amounts, and where the accounts are located.
• Life insurance policies and annuities — account balances, issuer, owner, beneficiaries, and any amounts borrowed against the policies.
• Motor vehicles — cars, boats, motorcycles, planes, etc.
• List the co-owner for any jointly owned property.
• List the amounts and sources of your income, including interest, dividends, and other household income (such as your spouse's salary).
• List the amounts and sources of all your debts, including mortgages, credit cards, loans, leases, and business debts.
• List the value of any jewelry, collections, heirlooms, furniture, and any other personal property.
• List the names, addresses, and birth dates of your spouse, children, and any other relatives whom you might include in your will. If they have any disabilities or special needs list them too.
• If you have young children, list the names, addresses, and phone numbers of possible guardians.
• List the names, addresses, and phone numbers of executors or trustees.
• Gather together any documents that might affect your estate plan - prenuptial agreements, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, recent tax returns, existing wills and trusts, property deeds.