--- title: "Estate Planning Checklist | Legacy Counsel" description: "What to gather before your first estate planning meeting: documents, account information, beneficiary designations, and decisions to think through." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "LegalService", "@id": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/#legalservice", "name": "Jacobs Legacy Counsel", "alternateName": [ "Legacy Counsel by Jacobs Counsel", "Jacobs Legacy" ], "url": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com", "description": "Fixed-fee estate planning for high-net-worth families, founders, executives, and professional athletes. Licensed in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio.", "logo": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/logo-dark.jpg", "image": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/og-image.jpg", "telephone": "+1-646-343-7227", "email": "intake@jacobscounsellaw.com", "priceRange": "Fixed-fee engagements", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "221 River Street, Floor 9", "addressLocality": "Hoboken", "addressRegion": "NJ", "postalCode": "07030", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": [ { "@type": "State", "name": "New York" }, { "@type": "State", "name": "New Jersey" }, { "@type": "State", "name": "Ohio" } ], "knowsAbout": [ "Estate planning", "Revocable living trusts", "Irrevocable trusts", "Dynasty trusts", "Asset protection planning", "Generation-skipping transfer tax planning", "Estate planning for professional athletes", "Estate planning for founders and executives", "QSBS planning", "Pre-liquidity estate planning", "Probate and trust administration" ], "contactPoint": { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+1-646-343-7227", "email": "intake@jacobscounsellaw.com", "contactType": "client intake", "areaServed": [ "US-NY", "US-NJ", "US-OH" ], "availableLanguage": [ "en" ] }, "founder": { "@id": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com/about/drew-jacobs#person" }, "employee": { "@id": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com/about/drew-jacobs#person" }, "parentOrganization": { "@type": "LegalService", "@id": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com/#legalservice", "name": "Jacobs Counsel LLC", "url": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com" }, "sameAs": [ "https://jacobscounsellaw.com", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/jacobs-counsel", "https://www.instagram.com/jacobscounsel" ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/#website", "url": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com", "name": "Jacobs Legacy Counsel", "publisher": { "@id": "https://jacobslegacycounsel.com/#legalservice" }, "inLanguage": "en-US" }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://jacobscounsellaw.com/about/drew-jacobs#person", "name": "Andrew R. 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[Home](/) 2. [Resources](/resources) 3. Checklist Estate Planning Checklist Legacy Counsel # Estate Planning Checklist You do not need to have answers before your first meeting. [Start Intake](/get-started)[Book a Consultation](https://cal.com/drewjacobs/estate-planning) ## Documents to gather Existing will, trust, powers of attorney, and health-care directives Marriage certificate and any prenuptial or postnuptial agreement Divorce decrees and child support / custody orders, if applicable Deeds for all real property, including out-of-state LLC operating agreements, partnership agreements, and shareholder agreements Buy-sell agreements and key-person insurance documentation ## Account inventory Bank and brokerage accounts (institution, account type, approximate balance, beneficiary or POD/TOD) Retirement accounts (401(k), IRA, Roth, pension) with current beneficiary designations Life insurance policies (face amount, owner, beneficiary, cash value) Crypto and self-custodied digital assets (separate, encrypted inventory) 529 plans, UTMA/UGMA accounts, and trusts already in place ## Decisions to think through Guardians for minor children (primary and successor) Executor and successor executor Trustee, successor trustee, and trust protector (if any) Health-care agent and successor Financial power of attorney agent Charitable beneficiaries, if any Related - [Start Intake](/get-started) - [Estate Planning Quiz](/quiz/estate-planning) - [State Guides](/resources/state-guides) Next Step ### Talk to Legacy Counsel. Fixed-fee estate planning for clients in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio. [Start Intake](/get-started)[Book a Consultation](https://cal.com/drewjacobs/estate-planning) Drew Jacobs is licensed in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice or an offer to represent you in a jurisdiction in which we are not licensed. **Prospective Client Disclaimer.** Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Do not send confidential or time-sensitive information until we have signed an engagement letter. We will review your submission and follow up to discuss whether we can represent you. By submitting, you consent to be contacted about your inquiry. Estate Planning & Legacy Counsel Legacy Counsel by Jacobs Counsel. Fixed-fee estate planning, trusts, wills, and generational wealth strategy for high-net-worth families. [← Visit jacobscounsellaw.com](https://jacobscounsellaw.com) [(646) 343-7227](tel:+16463437227)[intake@jacobscounsellaw.com](mailto:intake@jacobscounsellaw.com) 221 River Street, Floor 9 Hoboken, NJ 07030 Practice - [Estate Planning](/estate-planning) - [Trusts](/trusts) - [Probate & Administration](/probate-trust-administration) - [Pricing](/pricing) - [For Advisors](/for-advisors) States - [New Jersey](/estate-planning/new-jersey) - [New York](/estate-planning/new-york) - [Ohio](/estate-planning/ohio) - [State Guides](/resources/state-guides) Resources - [Blog](/blog) - [FAQ](/faq) - [Estate Planning Quiz](/quiz/estate-planning) - [Checklist](/resources/checklist) Firm - [About Drew Jacobs](/about) - [Contact](/contact) - [Start Intake](/get-started) - [Book a Consultation](https://cal.com/drewjacobs/estate-planning) - [Client Questionnaire](/client-questionnaire) Notices - [Privacy Policy](/legal/privacy-policy) - [Legal Disclaimer](/legal/disclaimer) - [Attorney Advertising](/legal/attorney-advertising) © 2026 Legacy Counsel by Jacobs Counsel. All rights reserved. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. **Jurisdiction.** Drew Jacobs is licensed to practice law in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio . Estate planning is highly state-specific — laws governing wills, trusts, probate, estate and inheritance tax, and asset protection vary materially by jurisdiction. We represent clients whose residence, primary assets, or business interests are situated in NY, NJ, or OH. For matters involving other states, we coordinate with qualified local counsel. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice or an offer to represent you in a jurisdiction in which we are not licensed.