This part of the questionnaire lets you add people or organizations outside your immediate family who may matter to your plan. They might be trusted friends, charities, or a bank or trust company.
You are asked: Do you have any additional people or entities you’d like to include? If this does not apply to you, answer No and move on.
Why these questions matter
Estate plans often involve people or organizations beyond children, parents, and siblings. For example, you might want:
- Someone you trust to make decisions for you
- To leave a gift to a friend or charity
- A professional or institution to serve as Trustee
- Someone to care for a pet
Entering them here helps your attorney think through these possibilities with you and keep your documents clear. To learn more about these roles and how to choose someone, see this article.
Additional people
The page suggests adding anyone outside your immediate family who:
- You would trust to make decisions for you, as an agent or fiduciary
- You might want to benefit in your plan, as a beneficiary
- You might want to care for a pet
- You would trust to raise your minor child, as a guardian (shown if you have minor children)
That can include close friends, long-term companions, caregivers, or trusted advisors. Adding someone does not mean they will receive anything or be given any authority. It shows your attorney who you may want to consider.
Use each person’s full legal name, for example Jonathan rather than Jon. A nickname goes in the preferred name field. If you do not know someone’s legal name yet, enter what you know, because the full legal name is needed before your documents are final.
Additional entities
For each entry, you first choose Please select whether you’d like to enter a person or an entity. An entity is an organization, such as a charity, foundation, or nonprofit, or a bank or trust company you might want as a Trustee.
Including an organization does not commit you to a gift or an appointment. If you do not know all the details, enter what you know. Your attorney can confirm the correct legal name later.
Where an organization is located can also matter. If a bank may serve as Trustee, its location can affect state income tax. For a charity, the location helps make sure the right chapter or organization is named in your documents.
Pets and personal property
You can also add people or organizations you might want to receive a pet, or particular items such as jewelry, art, or family heirlooms.
Here you only enter who they are. You do not need to describe the items or decide anything yet. Your attorney can go through the details with you later.
How this information is used
These details help avoid mix-ups between similar names, identify organizations correctly, and make sure your documents account for everyone who matters. Nothing entered here locks in a decision.
If you live in Oregon In Oregon, the page asks where a person lives only if you are naming them as a health care agent or representative. The box reads: CHECK HERE if you are naming this person as a health care agent or representative. When you check it, you also enter their full address, phone, and email for your health care documents.
Want to read more?
These articles are optional.
- Glossary: Common estate planning terms. See this article.