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1
Where is your estate primarily located?
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Select the state where you reside and hold most of your assets. This determines which state estate tax thresholds apply to you.
2
Core Documents — Every Adult Should Have These
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If you are 18 or older, the following documents are essential — not just for end-of-life, but for any moment when you can't speak for yourself. Please indicate whether each is in place.
A Will
General Durable Power of Attorney
Health Care Power of Attorney
HIPAA Authorization
Living Will and Care Directives
3
Dependents, Children & Trust Planning
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Do you have children or others who depend on you?
Do you have legal documents in place — including guardianship designations — for who will care for your children if you become incapacitated or pass away?
Do you have a Revocable Trust in place?
Are your trustees current and up-to-date?
Are assets titled into the trust as planned?
Do you have a pour-over will to capture any assets not yet in the trust?
4
Probate & Privacy
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Probate is the court-supervised process of validating your will and distributing your assets after you pass. It can be time-consuming, costly, and — because court records are public — it makes the details of your estate available to anyone. A well-structured plan can allow your assets to pass directly to your loved ones, privately and without court involvement.
Would you prefer your assets to transfer privately, without court involvement — avoiding probate and keeping your estate out of the public record?
5
The "First 48 Hours" Test
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Check each item that you — or a trusted person in an emergency — could immediately locate and access right now.
Bank account numbers and contact information
Investment account logins
Life insurance policies
Password manager or master access to digital accounts
Contact information for short-term and long-term guardians (if you have children)
Plans for the care of pets
6
Emergency Document Access
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If you were in an accident today and taken to an emergency room, would your emergency contacts and medical team have immediate access to the following?
Durable Power of Attorney
Health Care Power of Attorney
HIPAA Authorization
Living Will and Care Directives
7
International Travel & Work
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Do you travel or work internationally?
Do you have health insurance that covers you outside the United States?
Do you have medical evacuation insurance?
Are you enrolled in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) through the U.S. State Department?
STEP allows the U.S. Embassy to contact you in an emergency and helps your family locate you abroad.
Is your Durable Power of Attorney current and easily located while you are traveling?
Is your Health Care Power of Attorney current and easily located while you are traveling?
Are your HIPAA Authorizations current and easily located while you are traveling?
Is your Living Will and Care Directive current and readily available while you are traveling?
8
Business Ownership & Succession
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Do you own a business or hold an ownership interest in a privately held company?
Buy-Sell Agreement
Governs what happens to your ownership interest if you die, become incapacitated, or a co-owner wants to exit.
Key Person Insurance
Life or disability insurance protecting the business and your family if a key person is lost.
Business Interest Integrated with Estate Plan
Is your business interest held through a trust or LLC in a way that avoids probate and ensures a smooth transition?
Intellectual Property Rights
Are your IP rights — trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, or proprietary processes — clearly owned, documented, and protected?
9
Estate Size & Tax Exposure
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Include real property, retirement accounts, life insurance proceeds, business interests, and other assets in your estimate. Most people underestimate by forgetting life insurance and retirement balances.
Approximately how large is your estate?
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Your Estate Plan Summary
Prepared by Vickery Law PLLC's self-assessment tool · For informational purposes only
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Readiness
Ready to close these gaps? Vickery Law PLLC works with Maryland and D.C. clients to build estate plans that protect what you've worked hard to build — from foundational documents to complex trust structures.
Once you download or leave this page, your responses are permanently cleared. This summary does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.