Why we put our will and trust documents in a notebook

Attorney Tom Olsen: When we do trust and will documents for people, we put everything in a notebook, nice and organized. Why? Well, it keeps your documents looking neat and tidy, first and foremost, but also when it's in a notebook, it's easier to keep up with. Oh, my goodness, man. People have come to me before and said, "Tom, here's my will." I look at it and go, "Oh, that's a copy of your will. Where's the original?" "I don't know."

Attorney Chris Merrill: My words are very intentional with clients, "This is a working binder," because I want to emphasize that they should be keeping up with it, making sure they are updating those personal property items, as well as making sure that all of their accounts are updated. This should be a working binder. That means all their important documents are in one place at a safe spot in their house where it is about where these documents for if they were alive but incapacitated or they passed away. It's all in one place, making it simple.

Attorney Tom Olsen: Remember our goal is to, number one, avoid probate, help clients to avoid probate, make things simple, easy, inexpensive when they pass away. That requires some work that we do, Olsen Law Group, and it also requires some work that the clients do. When you say it's a working notebook, keep a somewhat up-to-date accounting of where your bank accounts are, et cetera, you're going to make things easier for your kids. How many times have I had a child come to me and say, "Tom, my mom passed away. I have no idea what she owned. What do I do? How do I figure it out?"

Attorney Chris Merrill: "Where do I start?"

Attorney Tom Olsen: Yes, "Where do I start?" Man, if mom had had a notebook like this and say, "Okay, I've got these bank accounts at SunTrust, these investments at Vanguard," oh, my goodness, it makes things so much easier.

Attorney Chris Merrill: We have many clients, the children call us, thanking us because their parents had our notebook, did put things in the notebook, just like we told them to do, and now the kids have one go-to place.

Attorney Tom Olsen: Exactly.

Attorney Chris Merrill: We get calls every week thanking us for the fact that everything was together and organized. Once again, what does that do? It's what you said, it makes things a lot simpler for the kids to be able to start there.