Tailored specialist advice

Preparing for a great first appointment

Building the right plan for you is important because it helps you make informed choices between your obligations and goals and gives you the flexibility to adjust course as new situations arise.

Things to think about before your appointment:

• What are the things you want to achieve?
• The conversation will be focused on getting to know you and what you need. Your adviser will explain your options, and how they can help.
• What are the things that worry you?
• What questions do you have for your specialist?
• What would a great appointment look like?

Your first meeting will usually run for around an hour. We’ll also prepare a Letter of Engagement, based on what we’ve discussed with you, and prepare a fee schedule for you to review and agree.
 

Preparing your financial plan

Your planner will analyse different scenarios and strategies. They'll also assess how they meet your needs. They’ll prepare your financial plan, detailing and explaining their recommendations. They will then send it to you to review. If you like, your planner can set up time to take you through your financial plan. They’ll explain their recommendations and your next steps.

Once we’ve discussed and agreed next steps, we’ll support you to put your plans into action.

When life changes

If anything pops up in life, or you want to make changes, we’re a phone call away to help you navigate it all.
Your first meeting will usually run for around an hour. We’ll also prepare a Letter of Engagement, based on what we’ve discussed with you, and prepare a fee schedule for you to review and agree.

Preparing your legal documents

1. Our first meeting
   At this meeting, we will confirm:
   
   1. your personal, family and financial situation
   2. review any estate planning documents you may already have
   3. discuss your wishes.

We will  explain the documents we think are appropriate and our fees. The meeting usually takes an hour and we can talk via video link, face-to-face or over the phone. At the end of the meeting, you can decide if you would like to meet again to discuss any special requirements you might have.

1. Preparing your documents
   If you wish, we will prepare your essential estate planning documents and send them to you for review and approval. We will then make any minor amendments that you request witnessing instructions.
   
2. Signing your documents
   You can sign your documents and arrange to have them witnessed, or we can witness you sign them.

If needed, we can arrange a face-to-face meeting to assess your capacity to sign documents and witness them. We can also arrange to assess the capacity of anyone you choose to make these decisions while you are alive.

If you arrange signing and witnessing, we can review your documents to make sure they have been signed and witnessed correctly

Meet Michelle Dixon, Estate Planning Lawyer