Estate Planning: How to get started?

Written by: Brittany Seemuth
Estate Planning Assistant

Hi! I’m Brittany. I am an estate planning assistant at O’Leary-Guth Law Office, S.C.

Most of us know how critically important a well-done estate plan is. And yet, many people die without an estate plan in place because they mistakenly believe having one prepared needs to be a long and drawn-out process.  In reality, it’s easier than you may think!  

The following is an overview of the 4 key steps to having O’Leary-Guth Law Office prepare an estate plan for you.

Step One – Reach Out. First, contact me! You can call me at (262) 238-6996, or e-mail me at firm@olglawoffice.com  Once you contact me, I will send you a Personal Information Form to help you get organized. The Personal Information Form is a place for you to outline your financial information and to answer some basic questions about yourself, your family and your objectives. 

Step Two – Initial Meeting.  When you return your completed Personal Information Form, I will schedule an initial meeting with the right attorney from our team, based on your personal situation. The initial meeting is your opportunity to ask your questions and share your wishes, and for us to learn what your goals are. The meeting can be conducted in person, by phone, or video conference – whatever works best for you! .

Once we know your goals, we can explain alternative ways to accomplish them, and tell you what we expect it will cost to prepare the documents needed to fulfill your wishes.  In other words, you will have a very good idea what your estate plan will cost before you incur any fees.

Step Three – Review your Documents.   If you choose to move forward, our attorneys will draft your estate plan and I will send you a draft for your review. You can take your time reviewing the drafts after they arrive. If you have questions or changes, just let us know, and we revise the draft as need be.

Step Four – Sign Your Documents Once your estate plan meets with your approval, please contact me to schedule a signing meeting. At that meeting, you will sign the documents that make up your estate plan in the presence of two witnesses and notary, all of whom will be members of our team. You can also schedule a complementary introductory meeting with one of The Milwaukee Company’s investment advisors, if you would like their opinion on your investments, or ask them any financial questions you might have.

That’s it!  Easier than you thought, I bet.  If you have any questions at all about how to get started, or about how we can be of service to you, please don’t hesitate to give me a call. I would welcome the chance to speak with you.