A One-Page Guide
Woodbury Law Group's California Estate Planning Checklist
A complete estate plan is a short list of documents and decisions, made while life is calm. Work down this page, check off what you already have, and bring the rest to us.
Documents
- A will, naming who inherits and who is in charge
- A revocable living trust, so your home can pass without probate court
- A durable power of attorney for finances
- An Advance Health Care Directive
- A HIPAA authorization, so your agents can speak with your doctors
Your People
- An executor for your will
- A successor trustee for your trust
- A guardian for minor children
- A health care agent for medical decisions
- A named backup for every role above
Your Property
- Check the deed: is your home actually titled in your trust?
- An inventory of accounts: bank, retirement, brokerage, insurance
- Beneficiary designations that match the rest of your plan
- A list of digital assets and how your family reaches them
- Business interests, and how each one passes
Reviews
- Every 3 years, even when nothing feels different
- After a marriage or a divorce
- After a birth or a death in the family
- After a move, into or out of California
- After a large purchase, sale, or inheritance
Bring To Your Consultation
- A copy of your deed
- Your most recent mortgage statement
- A list of your accounts, even a rough one
- Any prior wills or trusts
- Your questions, all of them