Estate Planning Resources
Guides and worksheets from James Gillis for clients, families and the executors and trustees who serve them.
Preparing for your planning meeting
At the planning meeting, we will answer your questions, identify goals, and discuss people and plan. You can prepare by taking the steps listed below. Feel free to use our estate planning workbook as an organizer.
01
List your people
Make a list of people and organizations you may want to name in your documents as beneficiaries and fiduciaries. Beneficiaries receive a gift from you at death. Fiduciaries run the show. We can send a link so you can send the information to us securely, or simply bring it in.
02
List your assets
List your assets and property with approximate values in the estate planning workbook. If you have a personal financial statement that you would rather use, please review and confirm the information is up to date.
Your organizer
Estate Planning Workbook
Your information, a few questions, the people you may name, your fiduciaries, and your assets, in one place.
03
Gather documents
Start to gather the documents listed below that apply to you. Do not be overly concerned about locating every document now. When we meet, we will discuss your situation and identify any gaps that need to be filled. For example, we regularly pull deeds for real estate from land records for clients.
- Existing estate planning documents (wills, trusts, powers of attorney)
- Deeds for real estate
- Owner’s title insurance policies (issued when real estate purchased)
- Premarital or postmarital agreement (or “prenup”)
- Partnership, shareholder or operating agreement
- Gift tax returns (IRS Form 709)
- Life insurance policies
Guides and worksheets
Download any of these before you meet with James. Each one opens as a PDF.
Getting ready for your first meeting
Estate Planning Workbook
An organizer for the planning meeting: your information, a few questions, the people you may name, your fiduciaries, and your assets.
Personal Data Sheet, Married
A worksheet for married couples to list family members, assets and accounts before meeting with James.
Personal Data Sheet, Single
The same worksheet for individuals.
Keeping your plan current
When to Update Your Estate Planning Documents
The life changes that call for a fresh look at your will, trust and powers of attorney.
For executors and trustees
Top Rules for Fiduciaries
Key rules for anyone serving as an executor, administrator or trustee.
Questions about any of these?
Call the office or send a message, and we will help you find what you need.