Runyon Law Office, PLLC

Estate Planning Readiness Checklist

Before meeting with an estate-planning attorney, it can be helpful to think through your family situation, assets, decision-makers, and existing documents. This checklist is intended to help individuals and families in New Hampshire prepare for a productive estate-planning conversation.

Estate planning in New Hampshire often involves thinking not only about wills and probate, but also about revocable trusts, durable powers of attorney, advance directives, beneficiary designations, and who would step in if help were needed during life. For families in Peterborough, New Hampshire and across the Monadnock Region, gathering basic information ahead of time can make the first conversation more useful and more efficient.

This checklist is not meant to tell you what documents you should have. Its purpose is simply to help you gather information and identify topics that may be worth discussing with an attorney.

Checklist

Select any items that apply. The summary will update as you go.

Family and Personal Information

Mark the topics that may affect who should be provided for, who should act, or whether added planning structure may be worth discussing.

Assets and Property

You do not need exact values to begin. A practical working list is often enough for a first conversation.

Decision-Makers

It can help to think about both first choices and backup choices before meeting with the office.

Planning Concerns

These are not answers in themselves, but practical topics that often shape the conversation about wills, revocable trusts, durable powers of attorney, advance directives, and probate.

Existing Documents

If you have any of these already, it is often useful to gather copies before speaking with an attorney.

What This Checklist Can Help With

If you are just beginning to think about estate planning, you may also wish to review our Estate Planning page for general background. Questions that arise after a death may overlap with our Probate and Trust Administration page, and later-life planning concerns sometimes intersect with Elder Law.

You do not need to complete every item before contacting the office. Even a rough list of family members, property, decision-makers, and existing records can provide a better starting point for a conversation.

When you are ready to speak with the office, you can contact us to arrange a conversation.

Peterborough office

Ready to organize the next conversation?

If you have reviewed the checklist and want to talk through your documents, decision-makers, or planning concerns, the Peterborough office can help you sort through the next steps.

603-924-3050

45 Main Street, Suite 204
Peterborough, NH 03458
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Disclaimer. This checklist is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Estate-planning needs vary based on individual circumstances. Speaking with an attorney is the best way to determine what documents and planning choices may be appropriate for you.