What you'll need to gather
You don't need final answers or exact figures — thoughtful starting points are enough. Having these five areas in mind before you begin means your guided conversation typically takes about 10 minutes, and your attorney arrives at your consultation already up to speed.
Your family and key people
Your plan is built around the people in your life. Have this on hand:
Your spouse or partner's information, if applicable
Your children's names and approximate ages or birthdates
Any grandchildren or others you'd like included in your plan
Any prior marriages or blended family considerations to account for
An idea of who you'd want to name as executor (manages your estate), and, if applicable, trustee (manages assets in trust), financial power of attorney (handles finances if you can't), healthcare agent (makes medical decisions on your behalf), and guardian (cares for minor children)
Your assets, at a high level
Exact figures aren't necessary — a general sense of what you own and roughly what it's worth is enough to get started:
Real estate — your primary residence and any additional properties
Retirement accounts — 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, pension
Investment and brokerage accounts outside of retirement
Bank and cash accounts
Life insurance policies, individual or through an employer
Business interests — ownership stake, partnership, or LLC membership
What matters most to you
This shapes the plan itself. Take a few minutes to think through:
What's prompting you to put a plan in place now
What you're most hoping to protect or accomplish
Anything specific you want to avoid, for your family or your estate
Whether you'd rather keep things simple, or provide more structure for how and when beneficiaries receive their inheritance
What a successful plan looks like to you
Any existing estate planning
If you've done any planning before, we'll want to understand what's already in place:
Roughly when it was created
Any major life changes since then — marriage, children, divorce, a death in the family, or a significant change in your assets
Anything about your current plan you're unsure about or want to revisit
Your questions
The more specific your questions, the more useful your attorney consultation will be. Consider jotting down:
Anything you've been uncertain or concerned about
Specific scenarios you'd like to think through — "what happens if..."
Options you'd like to explore
Anything you want your attorney to know that hasn't come up yet
How the ATJustice process works