Creating an estate plan modification meeting in Orange County is the first step along the road to ensuring that your affairs are in order. Once these documents are drafted and signed, that does not mean you should not think about them again. Instead, it is important to modify these documents to reflect any changes in life circumstances. Estate planning is an ongoing process. Revisions to wills, trusts, and other documents should also be made when there are changes to the tax, trust, and estate laws.
Once you have made the decision to update your estate plan in California, it is important to contact an experienced attorney who can help you modify your documents in the proper manner. To prepare for your initial meeting, consider taking the following steps:
- Gather copies of all of your existing estate planning documents.
- Assemble copies of beneficiary designations on your accounts, retirement assets, and life insurance policies.
- Obtain up-to-date account balance statements.
- Consider whether the people that you originally named to be your executor, agent, or guardian are still the same people that you would like to serve in those roles moving forward.
- Make a list of any changes in contact information for yourself, your children, and your executor, agents, and trustees.
- Assess whether you want to make any changes to the way in which your property is distributed.
- Gather copies of any information that documents a substantial change in your life circumstances, such as business entity documents if you recently started a business.
Estate plan modification meeting could be life changing. View here for a list of steps to take before meeting with an Anaheim estate planning attorney. Modifying an existing estate plan in Anaheim is not a difficult process but should be overseen by a knowledgeable legal professional. To learn more, view our free pamphlet, The Ten Things You Must Know before Creating (or Amending) Your Will or Trust. Our office of experienced Anaheim estate planning attorneys can provide further guidance. Call our office today at (714) 282-7488 for a consultation.