Wills & estates
Will and estate-planning appointment checklist
Direct answer: Before an estate-planning appointment, prepare details of your family, assets, debts, superannuation, insurance, businesses and existing documents. Consider suitable executors, attorneys, guardians and beneficiaries. Your will, enduring powers, ownership structures and superannuation nominations perform different roles and should be reviewed together.
Tell the lawyer promptly if
- you have an urgent health or capacity concern;
- you feel pressured about the proposed plan;
- a beneficiary has a disability, addiction, bankruptcy or relationship risk;
- you want to exclude someone who may expect provision;
- you own a business, trust, overseas asset or self-managed super fund;
- you have a blended family or unresolved separation;
- another person assisted with booking and confidentiality may be an issue.
The lawyer may need to see you separately and assess instructions and capacity.
Personal and family details
- Full legal name, former names, address and identification.
- Marriage, de facto, separation or divorce status.
- Children, stepchildren and other dependants.
- Previous partners and family-maintenance obligations.
- Citizenship, residency and overseas connections.
- Any vulnerable beneficiary or special circumstances.
Existing documents
- Current and earlier wills or codicils.
- Enduring power of attorney and guardianship documents.
- Advance Health Directive, if any.
- Superannuation nominations.
- Trust deeds, company constitutions and business agreements.
- Binding financial agreement or family-court orders.
Assets and liabilities
- Real estate and how each property is owned.
- Bank accounts and investments.
- Superannuation and pensions.
- Life insurance.
- Companies, trusts, partnerships and business interests.
- Vehicles and valuable personal items.
- Digital assets and online accounts.
- Overseas assets.
- Mortgages, guarantees and other debts.
- Money lent to or borrowed from family.
Exact balances are not always required initially, but ownership and approximate values help identify issues.
People and roles to consider
- Executor and substitute executor.
- Guardian for minor children, if relevant.
- Attorney for financial decisions during life.
- Enduring guardian for personal and lifestyle decisions.
- Beneficiaries and substitute beneficiaries.
- Trustee arrangements for children or vulnerable beneficiaries.
- A person who should receive particular personal items.
Ask each proposed appointee whether they are willing, suitable and likely to be available.
Wishes and questions
- How should the residuary estate be divided?
- Are specific gifts appropriate?
- Should a testamentary trust be considered?
- How should family loans or unequal contributions be treated?
- What happens to jointly owned property?
- Does the will control superannuation or trust assets?
- What happens if a beneficiary dies first?
- Are funeral wishes to be recorded, and where?
Signing and storage
- Follow the firm’s signing instructions exactly.
- Do not alter the signed original yourself.
- Record where the original is stored.
- Tell executors how to locate it without giving away confidential detail unnecessarily.
- Schedule review after major life, asset or legal changes.
What happens next?
Legal Care Australia can review your circumstances, explain WA wills, EPA and EPG documents and prepare an integrated plan where it accepts the work.
Client next step: Book an estate-planning appointment and complete the secure information form. Do not email identity or detailed financial records unless requested securely.
Official information
General information only. Estate planning requires advice tailored to your family, ownership structures and intentions.