Estate Plan Health Check:
Your client’s first step into estate planning

The Estate Plan Health Check helps clients understand whether their current arrangements are incomplete, outdated or require review.

Clients answer a short series of questions and receive a personalised report highlighting potential gaps and areas to consider.

Make estate planning easier to understand

Many clients know estate planning is important but are unsure whether their documents are up to date or where to begin.

The Health Check provides a practical starting point without requiring the client to begin a full estate planning process.

The process is non-intrusive. The client’s name and address are collected to personalise the report and apply the relevant state-based information.

Inherit Estate Plan Health Check question asking whether the client has joint children, with selectable answers.

A personalised report for each client

Once completed, the client receives a personalised report based on their circumstances.

Depending on their answers, the report may identify issues relating to:

missing or outdated wills and powers of attorney
superannuation and death benefit arrangements
relationships, separation and blended families
children, vulnerable beneficiaries and dependent family members
family trusts, SMSFs, companies and other business structures
property, insurance and other significant assets
citizenship, residency and overseas connections
family inheritances and potential estate disputes

The report explains why each issue may require attention and provides a basis for discussing the client’s next steps.

It does not provide legal advice or replace advice from an estate planning lawyer.

Example personalised Estate Plan Health Check report showing matters identified for the client to review.

Indicative legal fee estimate

The Health Check also provides the adviser with an indicative estimate of the legal fees required to complete the client’s estate plan.

The estimate is based on the client’s circumstances and the likely complexity of the legal work identified through the Health Check. It is visible only to the adviser.

This gives the adviser an early indication of cost when discussing the issues identified in the report and whether the client is ready to progress.

Example adviser-only legal fee estimate generated from a client’s Estate Plan Health Check responses.

When should advisers share the Health Check?

The Health Check can be sent when a client does not have an estate plan, their documents have not been reviewed recently or their circumstances have changed.

Common triggers include:

marriage, separation or changes in family relationships
the birth of children or grandchildren
changes involving dependants or vulnerable beneficiaries
buying or selling property or a business
retirement, superannuation or structural changes
changes in health, residency or financial circumstances

Inherit also provides an Estate Planning Review Checklist to help advisers identify common review triggers.

To access the checklist, create an adviser account and go to Education -> Resources.

Create adviser account

Invite and follow up with clients

Health Check invitations and follow-ups can be managed through the Inherit Engagement Centre.

Automated reminders can prompt clients to start and complete the Health Check, while your practice can review their progress and responses.

Inherit Engagement Centre dashboard showing client invitation status, automated follow-up and recent activity.

Use it as part of adviser-led reviews

The Health Check can be incorporated into your client review process.

Clients can complete it before their annual review meeting or while waiting for their appointment. It takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

The adviser can then review the report with the client, discuss any issues identified and provide the indicative legal fee estimate.

Progress to the full estate planning process

Clients who are ready to proceed can move directly from the Health Check into the full estate planning process.

Information already entered is carried into the estate plan, reducing duplication and avoiding the need for the client to start again.

Try the Health Check yourself

The best way to understand the client experience is to complete a Health Check yourself.

Create an Inherit adviser account, work through the questions and review the personalised report and indicative legal fee estimate generated by the platform.