Arrive organized. Share sensitive details only through a verified channel.

Eight tools, one purpose. Eight practical checklists and decision screens cover planning, care, probate, fiduciary work, and dispute preservation. Check items on screen or print a clean working copy.

Private by design

Keep this worksheet in your possession.

These tools do not submit, save, or transmit your selections. Avoid writing passwords, full account numbers, Social Security numbers, or sensitive medical details on an unsecured copy.

Tool 01

Estate-planning meeting organizer

A high-level inventory for the first planning conversation. Do not place account passwords or full identification numbers on this copy.

Current will, trust, power of attorney, and advance directive
Family and support relationships, including minor children
Homes, land, camps, and out-of-state real estate
Bank, investment, retirement, and insurance categories
Business, farm, partnership, or intellectual-property interests
Current beneficiary and payable-on-death designations
Possible agents, executors, trustees, guardians, and backups
Important goals, concerns, charitable plans, and family conflicts
Digital accounts and where secure access instructions are stored
Questions about taxes, care, asset protection, or special needs

Tool 02

Elder-law and care-planning checklist

Organize authority, care, housing, finances, benefits, and immediate risks before a care or capacity meeting.

Current diagnosis, care needs, medications, and safety concerns
Power of attorney, advance directive, guardianship, or representative-payee papers
Names and contact roles for family and care providers
Housing, facility, or proposed admission documents
Income sources, insurance, benefits, and long-term-care coverage
High-level assets, debts, property, and jointly owned accounts
Property transfers or major gifts made in recent years
Veteran, spouse, disability, or public-benefit status
Urgent deadlines, discharge dates, notices, or unpaid care bills
Who can safely communicate and make each type of decision

Tool 03

After-a-death document file

Build one protected working file before moving, selling, paying, or distributing estate property.

Original will, codicils, trusts, and amendments
Death certificates and funeral or disposition records
Deeds, vehicle titles, leases, and safe-deposit information
Bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and annuity records
Business records, tax returns, and accountant information
Credit cards, loans, recurring bills, and known creditor notices
Mail, email, devices, domain names, and digital-asset instructions
Names and addresses of heirs, beneficiaries, and interested people
Court papers, filing receipts, appointment documents, and deadline calendar
Inventory support, appraisals, expenses, distributions, and signed receipts

Tool 04

Executor and trustee recordkeeping checklist

Use separate accounts and a source-linked decision trail. The governing document and court orders control over this general list.

Appointment or acceptance documents and governing instrument
Complete asset list with title, value source, and control status
Separate estate or trust account and monthly statements
Income, expense, reimbursement, and distribution ledger
Invoices, receipts, tax records, and professional-fee support
Beneficiary, creditor, court, and tax communications
Notice, claim, hearing, return, and reporting calendar
Written basis for sales, valuations, reserves, and distributions
Co-fiduciary approvals and conflict disclosures
Draft and final accountings, releases, and closing records

Tool 05

Fiduciary or inheritance dispute preservation list

Preserve potentially relevant material in its original form. Do not access another person's accounts, devices, or property without lawful authority.

Every will, trust, amendment, power of attorney, and prior version
Court notices, envelopes, service records, and case information
Account statements, transaction records, deeds, and appraisals
Emails, texts, letters, voicemail, and social-media messages
Calendars, care notes, medical-provider names, and witness information
Photographs, videos, device data, and document metadata
A neutral chronology separating facts from assumptions
Written requests for accountings or information and any response
Known deadlines, threatened transfers, and immediate property risks
A log of originals, copies, storage locations, and who has access

Tool 06

Estate-plan health check

Use each unchecked item as a discussion prompt. This is a maintenance screen, not a legal sufficiency test.

The will, trust, power of attorney, and advance directive reflect current goals
Primary and backup fiduciaries are still willing and appropriate
Every deed and major account title has been reviewed with the plan
Retirement, insurance, and transfer-on-death beneficiaries are current
Minor children, blended-family, unmarried-partner, or disability issues are addressed
Trust funding and assignments were actually completed
Business, farm, camp, and out-of-state property plans match current ownership
Digital assets and secure access instructions have a practical process
A trusted person knows where signed originals are located
Marriage, divorce, death, diagnosis, move, tax, or property changes have been reviewed

Tool 07

Will-versus-trust question builder

Check the questions that deserve discussion before choosing a document structure.

Do you own Vermont real estate or property in another state?
Is management during incapacity a major concern?
Would a beneficiary need continuing management rather than an outright gift?
Are privacy and court administration important goals?
Will the family complete and maintain trust funding?
Are there minor children or guardianship nominations to address?
Do beneficiary designations already control significant property?
Could long-term-care Medicaid or special-needs benefits become relevant?
Is there a business, farm, rental, camp, or shared-use property?
Could family conflict, unequal gifts, creditor risk, or a vulnerable beneficiary affect administration?

Tool 08

Vermont probate readiness screen

Identify what is known, missing, or urgent before assuming that probate is—or is not—required.

The original will and every codicil have been located
The decedent’s legal residence at death is documented
Each asset has an identified owner and transfer method
Joint ownership and beneficiary designations have been confirmed in writing
Every Vermont and out-of-state real-estate deed has been gathered
Trust documents and proof of trust funding are available
Urgent property, insurance, pet, mail, device, and occupancy risks are controlled
Known heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, and fiduciaries have current contact information
Tax returns, business records, debts, recurring expenses, and refunds are organized
No distribution, sale, account closure, or use of a power of attorney will occur without confirmed authority

Ready after preparing?

Use the checklist, then request a consultation.

Keep the completed worksheet in your possession. Send only your general category, county, timing, and contact information through the first-step form.

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A clearer next step starts with the right conversation.

Share the general category and your Vermont county. No documents or detailed private history are needed to begin.

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