What not to send
In your initial message, provide only your name, preferred contact information, and a brief description of the estate-planning assistance you are seeking. Do not send:
- Social Security numbers
- Complete birth dates
- Bank or investment account numbers
- Passwords or access credentials
- Detailed medical records
- Tax returns or complete financial statements
- Original legal documents
- Sensitive information about another person
Amanda will let you know if additional information is needed and how it should be provided. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Do not assume the firm is monitoring a deadline or taking action on your behalf.
What to Prepare
You do not need to have every detail organized before contacting the firm. A general understanding of your circumstances, concerns, and goals is enough to begin the conversation.
Before meeting with an estate-planning attorney, it may be helpful to think about or privately gather the following information:
Your family and important relationships
- Your marital or partnership status
- Children, stepchildren, or other intended beneficiaries
- Minor children or other people who may need ongoing care
- Family circumstances that may require particular planning
- People you trust to carry out financial or healthcare responsibilities
Your property and financial arrangements
- A general list of significant property and financial accounts
- Real estate and the states where it is located
- How significant property is owned
- Retirement accounts, life insurance, and existing beneficiary designations
- Business or partnership interests
- Significant debts or financial obligations
- Property or accounts located outside New Mexico
Exact values are not always necessary for an initial discussion, but a general picture can help identify which planning questions should be addressed.
Existing documents
If you already have estate-planning documents, gather copies for your own review. These may include:
- Wills or amendments to wills
- Trust documents or amendments
- Financial powers of attorney
- Advance healthcare directives
- Beneficiary designations
- Property deeds
- Prenuptial, postnuptial, or other marital agreements
- Documents prepared in another state
Amanda will let you know which documents are relevant and how they should be provided.
Your goals and questions
Consider what you most want the estate plan to accomplish. For example:
- Who should receive your property?
- Who should manage your estate or trust?
- Who should make financial or healthcare decisions if you cannot?
- Are you planning for minor children or another dependent person?
- Are there particular family, property, or privacy concerns?
- Is there anything about your current plan that no longer reflects your wishes?
You do not need to resolve these questions before the first conversation. They are useful starting points for discussing your options.
After Initial Contact
Amanda will review the limited information provided in your initial message. She may request additional names or basic information to determine whether a conflict of interest exists and whether the requested work is within the firm’s services.
If the firm may be able to assist, Amanda will explain the next step. Depending on the circumstances, that may include scheduling a conversation, requesting preliminary information, or providing information about the proposed scope of services.
Initial contact does not guarantee that the firm will be able to accept the matter. Sending a message, receiving a response, or participating in a preliminary conversation does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.
An attorney-client relationship begins only after the firm confirms in writing that it has agreed to represent you. Before that occurs, do not assume that Amanda is acting as your attorney, monitoring a deadline, or taking action on your behalf.
After representation begins, Amanda will provide instructions for supplying any detailed documents or sensitive information needed for the planning process. She will then work with you to identify appropriate planning options, prepare the agreed documents, and review them with you before signing.
The exact process may vary depending on your circumstances and the services requested. For a broader overview, visit How It Works.
Ready to make initial contact?
Email is the way to begin.
General website information is educational only and is not a substitute for legal advice based on your individual circumstances.