Law office of Sonja M. Panajotovic

ph: (310) 463-6845
fax: (877) 817-5877
sp@sonjaplaw.com

Getting Started

To get started, please see the Estate Planning Fact Gathering Questionnaire below.

1. Your Preliminary Information (For ALL Estate Planning Clients to Fill out)

Your Full Name: _____________________________ Your Social Security: ______________

Your Date of Birth: ____________

Spouse’s Name: ___________________________ Spouse’s Social Security: ______________

Spouse’s Date of Birth: ____________

Address: __________________________________________________________________

Phone(s): (H) __________________; (W) _________________(Other) _______________

Email: __________________________; _________________________

County of Residence: ____________________

Country of Citizenship: You ____________________ Spouse ___________________

What state were you legally married in: _______________

Include Other Names You have used: _________________________________________

Indicate Maiden Name, if applicable: ___________________

Past Marriages:

Name of Former Spouse: (1) ___________________(2) ___________________

Ended by Death or Divorce: (1) _________________ (2) __________________

Pre-Nuptial Agreement? Yes___ No___ (If yes, please attach copy)

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

The Starting point of the estate planning process requires you to roughly calculate the size and nature of your estate assets. Please specify in the margin if the asset is “community property” (acquired during marriage) or “separate property” (acquired before marriage or inherited during marriage).

0) INCOME

Total Annual Income of Household $ _____________

____________________________________________

1) CASH AND SAVINGS (Please bring bank name, address and account number)

Checking Account $ ___________

Certificates of Deposit (CDs) $ ___________

Savings Account $ ___________

TOTAL CASH AND SAVINGS $ ______________

2) MARKET SECURITIES (Please bring bank name, address and account number)

Stocks $ ___________

Bonds $ ___________

Mutual Funds $ ___________

Annuities $ ___________

TOTAL OF MARKET SECURITIES $ ______________

3) REAL ESTATE (Please list address, city and state)

TYPE OF PROPERTY CITY MARKET VALUE - MORTGAGE = EQUITY

i. ______________________________ ____________________________________

ii. _______________________________ ____________________________________

TOTAL EQUITY IN REAL ESTATE $ _______________

4) FIXED AND OTHER ASSETS

Business Interests $ ___________

Limited Partnerships $ ___________

Other $ ___________

TOTAL OF FIXED AND OTHER $ ________________

5) RETIREMENT PLANS (Please bring bank name, address and account number)

IRA (Standard Deductible) $ ___________ $_____________

401k $ ___________ $_____________

403B $ ___________ $_____________

Profit Sharing Plan $ ___________ $_____________

Other $ ___________ $_____________

TOTAL OF RETIREMENT PLANS $ ________________

6) LIFE INSURANCE (Please list life insurance company and agent, if you know)

Face Value of Policy #1 $ ___________ (Term or Whole Life?)

Face Value of Policy #2 $ ___________ (Term or Whole Life?)

(Also list the beneficiary of each policy)

TOTAL FACE AMOUNT OF LIFE INSURANCE $ ________________

7) OTHER ASSETS (Cars, boats, collectibles, etc.)

$ ___________

TOTAL OF OTHER ASSETS $ ________________

GRAND TOTAL OF ALL ASSETS $_______________

3. Burial Requests and Organ Donation

Do you have any special requests for burial (i.e. cremation or burial)? ______________________ Spouse: ______________

Do you want to be an organ donor? Yes ___ No ____

Spouse: Yes ___ No ____

4. Children (please indicate if child is deceased, adopted, step child, if from a prior

marriage, andif child is handicapped)

Name: DOB: Where born:

i)_________________________ ________ _______________

ii)________________________ ________ _______________

iii)________________________ ________ _______________

iv)________________________ ________ _______________

Who do you want to have Custody of your Children? This is also known as the "Guardian". Include alternate choices please. Although husband and wives are ok, please remember the possibility of death or divorce.

NAME CITY THEY RESIDE IN

i) ___________________ ___________________

ii) ___________________ ___________________

5. Beneficiary Selection

With the exception of establishing a guardian for any underage children, the beneficiary selection is the most crucial aspect of your estate plan. This is where you determine who gets what and how much they get. Although you should take extra time reading through this section, you will likely want to discuss these issues with me in a face to face meeting. Do your best, but don't feel that everything has to be filled out completely.

You may want to begin by jotting down some general thoughts about who you want to get your property. The questions can help make these determinations more concrete. Consider if you die first and if your spouse dies first.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

PERSONAL PROPERTY-General Gifts. Generally speaking, who do you want the bulk of your personal property (non-monetary or real property assets) such as paintings, collections, furniture, etc. to go to? You have the opportunity in the next question to leave specific items to other people. Feel free to have multiple people (i.e. all living children at your death) to share your personal property.

First Choice: _______________________________________________________________

Second Choice: _____________________________________________________________

PERSONAL PROPERTY- Specific Gifts. If you would like to make specific gifts of personal property, such as art, collectibles, etc., please list the items below and the recipients (with at least one successor person named, in case your first choice person is unable to take the gift). You can not list everything you own in a simple will; it is just not practical. The following items should be pieces of personal property that do not follow the general flow of your personal property (for example, maybe you want your special painting to go to your best friend rather than a spouse or child).

ITEM First Choice Second Choice

1) ________________________________________________________________________

2) ________________________________________________________________________

3) ________________________________________________________________________

4) ________________________________________________________________________

BULK OF PROPERTY. Who do you want to receive the bulk of your assets (money, real property, stocks, bonds, etc.) when you pass away? Feel free to divide up your estate in percentages (for example 30% to child 1, 30% to child 2, 30% to child 3, and 10% to your favorite niece). List back up choices. If unsure, just jot down general notes.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Small gifts of Cash. In addition to the general flow of all your assets, is there anybody you would like to give a small cash gift to upon your death (i.e. $500 to a special niece or nephew)?

1) ________________________________

2) _________________________________

Charitable Gifts. Would you like to make any charitable contributions (which are tax deductible) upon your death? (Religious organizations, schools, fraternal organizations, and other such groups)

1) ________________________________ 2)___________________________________

Disinheritance. Is there anybody you would like to specifically not give assets to at death?

1) ____________________________ 2) _______________________________

Trust Gifts. If we are establishing a trust for minor children, at what age would you like disbursement to be made to the children without the trust restrictions? __________

6. Trustees/Executors

If you are setting up a trust for you, and you are unable to serve as trustee and administer the affairs of the trust, who do you want to serve in the roll of trustee?

1) _____________________________________

2) _____________________________________

3) _____________________________________

8. Other Inheritance Questions

1) Are you or your spouse beneficiaries or trustees of any trust? Yes No

2) Do you or your spouse have a power of appointment under any trust? Yes No

3) Do you or your spouse anticipate receiving an inheritance? Yes No

4) Have you ever filed (or had filed on your behalf) a gift tax return? Yes No

If yes to number 4, please bring copies.

5) Have interest in sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited

partnership or any closely held business? Yes No

6) Have you made gifts of over $12,000 to anybody in any year? Yes No

Law office of Sonja M. Panajotovic

Getting Started

OTHER ESTATE PLANNING DOCUMENTS