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Wills & future planning

Preparing for a wills and estate-planning appointment

Organise your first wills appointment: map family circumstances, assets, existing documents, decision-makers and questions about scope and signing.

By Talk to a Lawyer · Published 19 September 2026 · 5 minute read

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An estate-planning appointment is easier when you arrive with a picture of your circumstances, rather than a document you have tried to draft yourself. Start with the people who matter to you, the assets and responsibilities you know about, and the decisions you want help making. The lawyer can then explain which documents and further information may be needed. This guide helps you prepare that discussion; it does not create a will or recommend how an estate should be distributed.

Explain what prompted the appointment

Tell the office whether this is your first will, a review of an existing plan or a response to a change such as a relationship, new child, property purchase or business arrangement. If there is a particular concern, name it plainly: you are unsure who could carry out the work, how to provide for someone, or whether an older document still reflects your wishes.

Keep planning your own affairs separate from administering someone else’s estate. If a person has died and you need help as a possible executor or beneficiary, say that when enquiring. Drafting a will, applying for an estate grant and dealing with a disputed estate are different services. A broad wills-and-estates label does not confirm which work an office handles.

Make a people map before deciding on wording

List relevant family relationships, dependants and anyone you want to discuss providing for. Include circumstances the adviser may need to understand, such as a blended family, a beneficiary living overseas or someone who may need help managing money. Ask how sensitive details should be provided. You can explain uncertainty without deciding the legal consequences yourself.

Think about possible people to carry out responsibilities, but arrive ready to ask what those responsibilities involve. Availability, willingness, practical capacity and possible conflicts are useful conversation points. Do not assume that naming someone in one role automatically gives them authority for every other decision. Ask the lawyer to distinguish the roles within the plan it recommends.

Create an overview of assets and obligations

Make a broad list of property, accounts, investments, superannuation, insurance, business interests and debts. Record whether ownership or account details need checking. You do not have to calculate a precise estate value before the initial enquiry; an outline helps the office identify the information it wants next. Keep passwords and access codes out of that outline.

Ask how different ownership arrangements and beneficiary nominations interact with the proposed plan. Avoid assuming that every asset will be dealt with by the same document. Where trusts, a business or assets overseas are involved, tell the adviser early and ask whether specialist input or coordination with another professional may be required.

Bring existing documents to the conversation

Tell the office about any earlier will, powers of attorney, guardianship or health-related planning documents, relevant agreements and beneficiary nominations. Ask which copies it needs and whether originals should be brought later. If you cannot find a document, say so and explain what you remember rather than reconstructing its wording from memory.

Moneysmart distinguishes wills from powers of attorney and notes that powers-of-attorney rules differ between states and territories. Use that distinction to ask about decisions during your lifetime as well as after death. Ask your lawyer which documents address each concern and what the local requirements are. A generic checklist is not a substitute for those explanations.

Ask what the quoted planning service includes

Find out whether the quote covers an initial meeting, drafts, a discussion of changes, finalisation and signing arrangements. Ask how many documents and people the quote covers. If you and a partner are enquiring together, let the office explain how it deals with instructions, privacy and circumstances in which separate advice may be appropriate.

Ask which issues would take the matter outside the standard service. You may need advice beyond a simple document package, but the provider should be able to explain what extra work it proposes and why. Compare quotes against the same circumstances rather than treating every service described as a will as an identical product.

Plan for signing, storage and later changes

Ask the office to explain how the documents will be finalised and signed, who needs to attend and what checks it will arrange. If travel, illness, communication or accessibility affects the appointment, raise that while booking. Do not improvise changes to draft or signed documents because a detail seems small; ask the lawyer how to correct or update it properly.

Discuss where completed documents will be kept, who needs to know where to find them and how to contact the office for a review. Keep a note of the circumstances you agreed to revisit. A finished document is easier to use when the people responsible can locate the correct version and understand which professional can answer questions about it.

Keep this checklist beside you

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A preparation aid, not confirmation that a legal requirement is complete.

Common questions

Do I need exact asset values at the first enquiry?

Ask what the office requires. An initial overview can identify missing information, but the lawyer may need specific records before giving advice or preparing documents.

Is a will the same thing as a power of attorney?

No. They address different arrangements. Ask the lawyer to explain which document covers your concern and the requirements in your state or territory.

Can I use this checklist to write my own will?

This is an appointment-preparation checklist. It does not provide drafting language, assess validity or replace advice about your family and financial circumstances.

Sources and scope

General appointment preparation, not advice about your individual circumstances. Examples are illustrative, not client case studies. Official references checked 19 September 2026; confirm current requirements with the relevant service or adviser.

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