Help me prepare a fact-based estate-planning briefing letter and meeting checklist for a licensed estate-planning attorney. This is preparation, not legal advice and not a request to draft a will, trust, power of attorney, deed, beneficiary form, or any document for signature. My jurisdiction and family situation: [JURISDICTION AND FAMILY] My assets, accounts, property, debts, insurance, and business interests: [ASSETS AND OWNERSHIP] My existing documents and beneficiary designations: [CURRENT PLAN] My priorities for inheritance, guardianship, incapacity, charitable gifts, privacy, and family fairness: [PRIORITIES]
People I may appoint and any sensitive circumstances: [KEY PEOPLE AND CONCERNS]
First, ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing. Then produce:
1. A 500-700 word attorney briefing letter in first person, with headings for family, assets, current arrangements, goals, and decisions I need help making.
2. A decision table covering minor-child guardians, executor/personal representative, trustee, financial agent, health-care agent, beneficiary designations, jointly owned property, digital assets, and business succession. For each, state what I have provided, what remains undecided, and what to ask counsel.
3. A prioritized attorney meeting checklist, separating urgent risks from routine updates.
4. A document-and-records checklist to bring, including account statements, deeds, entity documents, policies, prior instruments, and beneficiary forms.
Do not assume state law, tax thresholds, family relationships, ownership, capacity, or eligibility. Do not recommend a specific legal structure as settled advice; explain options as questions for counsel. Before answering, check that every factual statement comes from my inputs and flag conflicts such as an outdated beneficiary designation, unclear title, missing successor, or a plan for a minor without a guardian.Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [JURISDICTION AND FAMILY] | State your country and state or province, marital status, children or dependents, and relevant prior relationships. | Illinois, USA; married to Dana; two children, ages 8 and 11; no prior marriages. |
| [ASSETS AND OWNERSHIP] | List major assets, approximate values, owners, account types, debts, insurance, and any business interests. | Home worth about $620,000 jointly owned; $410,000 in 401(k); $95,000 brokerage; $40,000 savings; $750,000 term life policy; no business. |
| [CURRENT PLAN] | Summarize existing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, beneficiary designations, and when they were last updated. | Simple will signed in 2015; Dana is named on retirement accounts; no trust or powers of attorney. |
| [PRIORITIES] | Describe who you want protected or supported and your goals for care, gifts, control, and privacy. | Keep the home stable for the children, name backups for guardians, and leave 5% of the estate to the local food bank. |
| [KEY PEOPLE AND CONCERNS] | Name possible fiduciaries or guardians and describe relevant concerns such as disability, conflict, or blended-family issues. | Dana would serve first; my sister Maya and brother-in-law Joel are possible backup guardians; my father should not manage money for the children. |
How to use
- Paste the prompt and replace every bracketed input with your actual facts.
- Attach or summarize your current estate documents and beneficiary designations if you have them.
- Check the decision table for blanks, conflicting ownership, and people who need a backup.
- Follow up with: “Turn the unresolved items into a one-page agenda for my attorney meeting, ordered by consequence if I delay.”
Variations
Plan update
Use this when your estate plan exists but a life event may have made it stale.
Help me prepare an update memo for my estate-planning attorney after this change: [LIFE EVENT]. My jurisdiction is [JURISDICTION]. My current documents and beneficiary designations are [CURRENT DOCUMENTS]. Identify which documents, titles, beneficiary forms, and fiduciary appointments may need review. Produce a one-page fact summary, a change-impact checklist, and precise questions for counsel. Do not state legal conclusions or draft legal documents. Flag any item that depends on local law or missing records.
Parent care plan
Use this when coordinating an aging parent’s planning conversation.
Help me create a respectful agenda for discussing future care and estate planning with my parent. Their location is [JURISDICTION], their known documents are [EXISTING DOCUMENTS], and the family situation is [FAMILY CONTEXT]. Produce a discussion guide covering wishes, capacity planning, health-care decision makers, financial access, records, housing, and conflict prevention. Include a list of questions to take to a qualified lawyer. Do not diagnose capacity or provide legal advice; clearly separate confirmed facts from topics to discuss.
Attorney intake
Use this when you need a concise packet before a first attorney consultation.
Create an attorney-intake packet from these notes: [FAMILY DETAILS], [ASSET SUMMARY], [GOALS], and [CURRENT DOCUMENTS]. Produce a two-page outline with a family map, asset-and-ownership table, desired decision makers with backups, open decisions, and documents to bring. Keep unknown values marked “unknown.” Do not invent tax, legal, or financial facts. End with the 10 highest-value questions for an estate-planning attorney in [JURISDICTION].
Tips
- Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance can override directions in a will, so list them separately instead of assuming the will controls.
- Record how each major asset is titled; joint tenancy, payable-on-death designations, and trust ownership create different questions for counsel.
- Name at least one backup for every guardian and fiduciary role, and discuss willingness before putting someone forward.
- Bring exact document dates and account ownership details to counsel; a vague asset list is less useful than a smaller, verified one.
FAQ
Can AI write my will or trust?
It can help organize facts and questions, but signed estate documents need jurisdiction-specific legal review. Use this prompt to prepare for a qualified attorney.
What should an estate-planning letter include?
Include family facts, asset ownership, existing documents, goals, potential decision makers, and unresolved choices. Do not omit beneficiary designations or business interests.
Do I need to list every possession?
Start with major assets, titled property, accounts, insurance, debts, and items with special sentimental or financial value. Your attorney can advise on the needed level of detail.