Estate planning client document checklist for law firms
Estate planning needs a clear picture of what the client owns, how title is held, and who they want to care for. That picture sits in papers across cabinets, online accounts, and old envelopes. Clients often stall. The list feels long. This guide groups it and shows a simple way to collect it before the design meeting.
A note on scope: this is a general starting list, not legal advice. What you need depends on your practice, the state, and the plan. FilesDue is not designed for protected health information (PHI). Keep health-care documents out of the request.
The estate planning document checklist
Identity and family
- Government-issued photo ID for each client.
- Marriage certificate, prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, and any divorce decree or settlement agreement that affects property or support.
- Names and contact details for children, beneficiaries, and proposed executors, trustees, guardians, and agents.
Existing plan documents
- Current will and any codicils.
- Existing trust agreements and amendments, including trusts where the client is a beneficiary.
- Existing financial powers of attorney.
Real estate
- Deeds for every property, so you can see exactly how title is held.
- Recent mortgage statements for properties with a loan.
- Information on property in other states, which may affect the plan.
Financial accounts
- Recent bank and brokerage statements showing account titling.
- Retirement account statements (401(k), IRA, pension) and the current beneficiary designations for each.
- Life insurance policies or annual statements showing owner, insured, and beneficiaries.
- Annuity contracts, if any.
Business interests
- Operating, partnership, or shareholder agreements, including any buy-sell provisions.
- A recent valuation or financial statements, if available.
Other
- Recent tax returns, if your practice reviews them for planning.
- A list of significant personal property the client wants to leave to specific people.
- Debts and obligations not shown elsewhere, such as personal loans or guarantees.
Why estate planning documents are slow
- The list is long and personal. Hard choices make clients put it off.
- Documents are old and scattered. An old deed or a policy from a former job takes real searching.
- Couples split the work and each assumes the other sent it.
- Beneficiary forms sit with each bank or plan, so they must be pulled one account at a time.
A simple collection process
- Send the request as soon as the engagement is signed, with a due date a week or two before the design meeting.
- Group items by category so the list reads as several short lists instead of one long one.
- Make each account its own item where you can, so a missing beneficiary designation is obvious.
- Mark items optional when they may not apply, such as business agreements or out-of-state property, so clients can mark them N/A.
- Let reminders handle follow-up and review what arrived before the meeting, so the meeting is about decisions, not paperwork.
How FilesDue handles this
FilesDue includes a Legal intake template with: Photo ID; Relevant contracts / correspondence; and optional items for Retainer agreement (signed), Court or agency notices, Supporting evidence / exhibits, and Contact list of involved parties. For estate planning, rename and add items from the list above — for example “Current will,” “Deeds,” and “Retirement account beneficiary designations” — or build your own checklist from scratch.
The client gets one link and uploads from a phone or computer with no account. Reminders go out on day 2, 5, and 9 after you create the request, then weekly. Each one lists only what is still missing. Clients can mark an item N/A with a note. If a scan is incomplete, send the item back with a short reason and ask for a new file. When the request is done, download a ZIP with a folder for each item.
Tips for estate planning intake
- Tell clients that “N/A” is a good answer so they do not stall on items that do not apply.
- Ask for full copies of trusts and wills, including all amendments and signature pages.
- Ask clients to download beneficiary confirmations from each account website.
- Keep an optional “Anything else you think we should see” item.
- Check your firm's privacy and security rules before using any third-party tool for client documents.
Frequently asked questions
Do clients need an account? No. They use the link you send. It is a long, unguessable link tied to that one request.
What does it cost? Solo is $15/mo with 25 active requests; Pro is $29/mo with no limit on active requests. See pricing.
Do you have a general intake guide for law firms? Yes. See client intake for law firms.