These items are needed to draft a will in Iowa. Please print out this list and fill it out prior to your appointment to draft your will. Please attach all of the requested documents to assist in the drafting.
1. Provide Personal Information for You and your Spouse:
Full legal names
Your Name:_______________________________________
Your Spouse’s Name: _________________________________
Address and telephone numbers:
Your Street Address: _________________________________________
Your City, State, Zip____________________________________________
Your Spouse’s Address if Different: ____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Home Telephone Number: ______________________________
Your Work Telephone Number: ______________________________
Your Cell Phone Number: ___________________________________
Your Spouse’s Work Number: ________________________________
Your Spouse’s Cell Phone Number: _____________________________
Your email address: _________________________________________
Your Spouse’s email address: _________________________________
Your Gender: _____________ Your Spouse’s Gender: ___________________
Occupations.
________Provide copy of employment contract or deferred compensation agreements, if any.
________Union benefits? If so, list name of union, address, phone number of union representative.
________ Retired benefits? If so, list name of retired benefit provider, address, phone number.
Current Employer Name: _________________________________________
Current Employer Address: ______________________________________
Current Employer City, State, Zip________________________________________
Current Employer Phone: ____________________________________________
Date and place of births for you and your spouse
_______ Full Legal Age (18 or married)
_________Provide Birth Certificates.
Your Date of Birth________________
Your Place of Birth____________________________________________
Your Spouse’s Date of Birth _______________
Your Spouse’s Place of Birth_____________________________________
Full legal names and dates of birth for all children.
________Provide Birth Certificates.
Child 1: Name__________________________________
Date of Birth______________________
Place of Birth ________________________
Natural/adopted/step/previous marriage/out of wedlock ______________
Child 2: Name__________________________________
Date of Birth______________________
Place of Birth ________________________
Natural/adopted/step/previous marriage/out of wedlock ______________
________Attach information on other children.
Social Security Numbers-
Your SSAN_____________________________
Your Spouse’s SSAN __________________________
_______provide copy of Social Security Cards.
Are you a military veteran? _______
____________Provide copy of Discharge Certificate.
___________Attach address and phone number of Military Installation that will provide death benefits.
2. Provide information about your marital status (Remember that Iowa has common law marriage- is a common law marriage possible? _________
Date and place of current marriage.
_________Provide copy of marriage certificate.
Date of Marriage _______________________
Place of Marriage____________________________
Was there a marriage contract? ______
___________Provide copy.
Information about previous marriages-
__________ Attach dates of marriage, dissolution dates, spouse names, children from previous marriages.
__________Provide copy of divorce decrees.
Is the prior spouse still alive? ___________
Are there any existing separation agreements? _______
___________Provide copy of separation agreement.
3. Provide a Summary of your assets
What is the value of your taxable estate? _________
Will your estate exceed $1 million?____________
Cash and bank or money market accounts:
________ Attach list of where located, and account numbers
Life insurance policies
_________ Attach list of policies and with whom, amount, beneficiaries, insurance agent name, address, phone number.
____________Provide copies.
Retirement and pension plans, 401K or Roth IRA’s?___________
___________ Attach list, value, point of contact for manager, address, phone number, and beneficiary.
Stocks? _____
_________ Attach list, cost basis, broker name, address, and phone number
Bonds?- ______
________ Attach list, value, broker name, address, and phone number
Stock Options? ________
_________ Attach list, current value, cost basis, broker name, address, phone number
Annuities? _____
__________ Attach list, broker name, address, phone number
Other securities ?_________
__________ Attach list, broker name, address, phone number
Principal Residence
how titled_______________
co-owners (name, address, phone number)_____________________
________________________________________________________
_________________________________
current market value________________
amount of equity___________________
Mortgage Company (name, address, phone number)___________
_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________Provide mortgage documents.
Other real estate?
________ Attach list and how titled, co-owners (name, address, phone number), current market value, amount of equity, Mortgage Company (name, address, phone number)
Any leases? ___________
______________provide copy of lease agreement.
Business ownership?
__________Attach list and how owned- self proprietor, partnership, corporation, etc .; who manages the books- name, address, phone number; current value; assets; liabilities
Inheritance expected or received? ____________
Other money or assets not covered above or expected ________
__________ Attach list and details
Personal effects
__________ Attach list and details concerning location and value
Listing of household furnishings, cars, boats, jewelry and other personal belongings of sentimental value
_________ Attach list and details concerning location, value, ownership
Jointly owned assets? _________
__________ Attach list type and name, address, and phone number of co-owner
Safety deposit box and important paper location _______________________________
Provide copy of recent income and gift tax returns ____________
4. Provide a summary of your debts
___________ Attach List all debts (loans, mortgages, guarantees, promissory notes, credit cards- amount owed, name, address, and phone number of person or company owed)
5. Beneficiaries:
Who do you want cash requests to go and the amounts of each request?
__________ Attach List of amount and Full legal names, addresses, phone numbers, gender, relationship
If you and spouse are killed in a common disaster, how do you want your estate distributed?
_________________________________________________________
Who do you want specific personal possessions to go to?
___________ Attach list and describe asset, location of asset, and name, address, phone number, gender, and relationship of person to go to.
Do you have alternate beneficiaries in case designated beneficiaries predecease you or cannot be located? ______________
_____________ Attach list of alternate beneficiaries and property to be received
Have you considered setting up a testamentary trust to have some of all your assets in your estate managed on your death on behalf of your spouse or children? _______
Do you have minor children or handicapped children? __________
At what age do you want your children to have access to their bequest? __________
Do you want to specifically exclude any children? __________
Any Step children which must be listed to be considered? __________
Any grandchildren or other relatives that you want to take under the will? ________
__________ Attach List names, addresses, phone numbers, gender, and relationship and property to be bequeathed.
Are there any parents, siblings, grandparents or other relatives that you wish to leave property to? _____
_________If so, attach list names, addresses, phone numbers, gender, and relationship and property to be bequeathed.
Do you want your executor/trustee to have the power to manage the investments to maximize returns, rather than immediately liquidating them and paying cash to the beneficiaries? ___________
What should happen to any left-over property not taken (residuary property)?
__________________________________________________________________
If a taker under the will renounces their right to receive property, who should take?
__________________________________________________________________
Tax payment instructions for any tax owed on the estate if any? ___________
_________ Attach instructions if any
Have you considered the benefits of a trust company to manage the trust? __________
Any charitable organizations considered as beneficiaries? _________
Alternate charitable organizations? _________
________ Attach Charity Names, addresses, phone numbers
Health benefits _________
_________ Attach list, name, address, phone number of policies
6. Names of people in your Will who will represent your interests?
Executor: Name_____________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________
City, State, Zip____________________________________________
Phone Number _______________________________________
Relationship _________________________________
Skills that make person suitable ______________________________
Alternate Executor: Name ___________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________
City, State, Zip _______________________________________________
Phone Number _______________________________________
Relationship ______________________________________
Skills that make person suitable __________________________________
Guardian for Minor Children? ___________
_________ Attach Name, Address, Phone Number, Relationship, Skills
Trustee? __________
__________ Attach Name, Address, Phone Number, relationship, Skills
Alternate Trustee? ___________
___________ Attach Name, Address, Phone Number, relationship, Skills
Have the executors, Trustees, Guardians, and Alternates agreed to this job? ________
Do you want the executor/ trustee to be bonded? _________
Do the Executors and Trustees know the location of your Will? ________
Do the Executors and Trustees know the location of your safety deposit box? ________
Have you researched the benefits of using a trust company and/or lawyer? _________
7. Other Information to obtain:
Responsibilities that you want designated
_________ Attach list
Responsibilities that you currently or may have in the future
_________Attach list
Are you the executor/trustee of
another Will? _____
For whom?____________________________
Do you hold any Power of Attorney or Appointment? ___________
For whom? _________________________________________
Names, addresses, and phone numbers of financial or personal/business advisors.
__________Attach List
Names, addresses, and phone numbers of your lawyer and/or trust company
_________ Attach list
Where do you want to leave the original copy of your Will? (attorney, your possession, or another person- not a safety deposit box) ______________
Have you had a previous Will or codicils? ____________
When was it signed_____________
Where is it located ___________________
When was it last reviewed _________________________
__________Provide a copy of the will and codicils
Do you have a current trust document? ___________
___________Provide copy
What changes have occurred since your last Will- deceased persons, new people (birth, adoptions), divorce or marriage, children
reached age 18, significant assets obtained or disposed of?_________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Does your spouse have a Will? ________
When was it signed ____________
Where is it located ___________________________
When was it last reviewed ______________________
___________provide a copy of the will
Were both the wills of yourself and spouse reviewed in conjunction with each other?____________
Were the wills of yourself and your spouse contractual wills? ________
Have you discussed your Will and estate with a tax accountant and financial planner to make sure that you have taken advantage of all tax and estate planning strategies available? ______________
Are they any provisions in your previous wills that you or your spouse want to change? _________
Have you considered being an organ donor on your death, and have you discussed this wish with your spouse, and completed the proper forms? _______
_________ Attach Instructions for organ donations
Have you considered making a Living Will (to make important health care decisions if you cannot make them yourself, such as incurable disease that will result in death or become unconscious, resuscitation, kept alive by life support, want all pain alleviated even if it hastens death, fed/hydrated through a tube)? _____________
___________Attach instructions for Living Will
Have you considered a Power of Attorney to someone over your affairs in certain situations? _________
________If so, attach a list with full and legal name, address, gender and relationship of party who will be your attorney-in-fact, list specific powers you are appointing to the power of attorney, and end date if applicable
__________ Attach Details on burial wishes and funeral service instructions
__________ Attach Historical information for obituary purposes
__________ Attach Names, addresses, and phone numbers of family, relatives, and friends for notification purposes
Do you desire a clause to void a bequest if a recipient contests the will? _________
Have any advances been made on the will to a recipient? __________
If so, attach list to whom and what was advanced
Have testamentary capacity- sound mind, know what signing ___________
Have testamentary intent- simultaneously hold elements in mind and make reasonable judgment ____________
2 witnesses who would not take under the will
Name 1: _______________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: _____________________________________________
Phone Number: _____________________________________________
Relationship: __________________________________
Age: ___________
Name 2: _______________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: _____________________________________________
Phone Number: _____________________________________________
Relationship: __________________________________
Age: ________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
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