Estate Planning Organizer - How to Create an Estate Planning Contact List

Don't leave your loved ones with a mess. Organize your important documents now so that you can provide your family with a written, comprehensive Location List showing where your important papers are stored and who to contact in the event of your disability or death. Here's how to create a contact list for your key advisors using the chart below.

Documenting Your Key Advisors

Locate the personal names, firm names, addresses - both regular and email - and phone numbers for your following key advisors and list their contact information in the chart below:

• Estate Planning Attorney
• Other Attorney
• Accountant
• Financial Advisor
• Banker
• Trust Officer
• Doctor
• Life Insurance Agent
• Homeowner's Insurance Agent
• Auto Insurance Agent

Be sure to periodically review your contact list and update it as your advisors change.

Advice on Changing Advisors

If you split your time between two states, then consider working exclusively with advisors in the state that you claim as your primary residence. Why? Because this will be significant evidence that you've given up your residence in one state and established your residence in the other. This is particularly important if one state imposes income and/or estate taxes and the other doesn't.

For example, if you've been a New York resident for 40 years - a state that has both an income and estate tax - but have decided to buy a second home in Florida - a state that doesn't have an income or estate tax - and make Florida your primary residence, then you should consider hiring advisors in Florida to make it clear that you've broken all financial ties to New York. Otherwise New York may try to tax your income while you're alive and your estate after you die.

Contact List