Meeting with a Lawyer
When your family meets with a lawyer following your death, they should bring the information contained in your notebook. If you did not prepare a notebook, your family should gather the following information:
The legal name, address, Social Security number, and birth date of every person named in the will
If there is no will, the legal names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and birth dates of the spouse and children. If there is no spouse or children, provide the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and birth dates of the parents and brothers and sisters
A copy of the death certificate
Driver's license or ID of the person who died
All of the credit cards in the sole name of the person who died
Health insurance information
A copy of the title for everything the person owned in his or her individual name, such as any real estate, cars, boats, or motorcycles
A copy of the most recent statement for all bank accounts and brokerage accounts
A list of all of the retirement accounts
All life insurance policies or annuities
A list of all debts
Business interests and records of ownership
Once they have gathered this information, your family is ready to shop for a lawyer to probate your estate. Price-shopping is very important, but you also want to be certain that the lawyer is experienced in handling estates. Lawyers spend a lot of time explaining the rules about the probate process, and you want one who can help your family gather the information needed to probate your estate.
If the lawyer knows that your family is prepared and has a good idea of what needs to be done, she may give your family a better price. Time is money. If you have prepared your heirs through your notebook, an inventory, or other plan summary, you may have saved them thousands of dollars in legal fees.
