Estate planning
Estate planning document checklist
An estate plan is only as current as the documents behind it. A will from ten years ago, a trust that was never funded or a beneficiary designation that names a former spouse can undo the plan the client remembers making. This checklist covers what to collect when a client reviews an estate plan, so the attorney and the tax preparer work from the same set of documents.
Who sends itSent by the firm to a client who is reviewing an estate plan, after a marriage, divorce, birth, death, move or large asset change, or before the client meets an estate attorney.
0 of 24 ticked
01Core documents
02Trust details
03Assets and beneficiaries
04Tax and legal records
05Review and updates
What firms get wrong
- Reviewing the will but not the beneficiary designations, which control the retirement accounts and insurance.
- Signing a trust but never funding it, so the assets still pass through probate.
- Naming a former spouse or a deceased person as a beneficiary and never updating the form.
- Using an old power of attorney from another state after a move.
- Leaving a minor child's inheritance outright with no guardian or trust to manage it.
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Questions about this checklist
What documents should be in an estate plan?
At minimum, a will, a durable power of attorney and a health care directive. A client with a trust also needs the trust agreement, the trust EIN and the funding records. Beneficiary designations for retirement accounts and insurance are part of the plan too.
Does a client need a trust?
A trust can help with probate, privacy, a minor or a beneficiary who needs ongoing management, but it is not required for every estate. The decision depends on the client's assets, state and family situation, and should be made with an estate attorney.
How often should an estate plan be reviewed?
Review the plan after a marriage, divorce, birth, death, move or large asset change, and at least every three to five years. A plan that names a former spouse or an old guardian is worse than no plan.
What is trust funding?
Funding means retitling assets into the trust's name, such as a deed, a brokerage account or a business interest. A trust that is signed but never funded does not control the assets it was meant to hold.
Do beneficiary designations override a will?
A beneficiary designation on a retirement account, life insurance policy or payable-on-death account generally controls who receives that asset, regardless of what the will says. The client should review each designation directly with the custodian.
Sources
Checked November 3, 2026. Tax rules, forms and thresholds change; confirm them with the IRS or your tax software before relying on them.
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