The Heir Readiness Assessment Leave a Comment / By SCIS_AdubbIE / September 17, 2026 How prepared is your legacy, and how prepared are the people who may one day receive it? The Heir Readiness Assessment is designed to help you identify where you're prepared, where there may be gaps, and where a conversation or next step could make a meaningful difference. You'll answer 25 questions covering four important areas of legacy readiness. There are no right or wrong answers. Simply choose the response that most closely reflects where you are today. At the end, you'll receive your Heir Readiness Score along with guidance to help you determine what may deserve your attention next. This isn't about perfection. It's about preparation. Have you intentionally prepared your heirs to understand and responsibly manage what they may inherit one day? Not yet I've started thinking about it Some preparation has taken place Yes, we've had meaningful preparation and conversations Yes, they are well prepared and understand their responsibilities None Have you talked with your heirs about the values and principles you hope will guide how they use what they inherit? No, we haven't discussed this I've thought about having the conversation We've discussed it briefly We've had meaningful conversations about it Yes, they clearly understand the values and principles I hope to pass forward None Do your heirs understand that inheritance may include responsibilities, not just financial or material assets? No, we haven't discussed this I'm not sure what they understand They have some understanding Yes, we've discussed the responsibilities involved Yes, they clearly understand both the opportunities and responsibilities that may come with an inheritance None Have you considered whether your heirs have the financial knowledge needed to responsibly manage an inheritance? No, I haven't considered this I've thought about it but haven't taken action I have a general idea of their financial readiness Yes, we've discussed financial responsibility and preparation Yes, I have intentionally helped prepare them to responsibly manage what they may receive None Do your heirs know whom to contact or where to turn for guidance when the time comes to manage what you've left behind? No I'm not sure Some of them do Yes, most know where to turn Yes, they clearly know the appropriate people, professionals, or resources to contact None Have you prepared your heirs to work together when decisions involving family assets or responsibilities need to be made? No, we haven't discussed this I've thought about it, but we haven't discussed it We've had limited conversations about it Yes, we've discussed how decisions and disagreements should be handled Yes, expectations, roles, and ways of handling disagreements have been clearly discussed None Has your family had meaningful conversations about your wishes, priorities, and what matters most to you? No, we haven't had these conversations I've thought about having them We've touched on some of these topics We've had meaningful conversations about most of them Yes, my family clearly understands my wishes, priorities, and what matters most to me None Does your family know who you have chosen to handle important responsibilities if you become unable to manage them yourself? No I'm not sure Some family members know Most of the appropriate family members know Yes, the appropriate people clearly understand who has been chosen and their roles None Have you discussed your intentions in a way that could help reduce confusion, assumptions, or family conflict later? No, we haven't discussed my intentions I've considered having the conversation We've discussed some things, but important gaps remain We've discussed most of my intentions Yes, my intentions have been clearly communicated to the appropriate people None Does your family know where to find important information if an emergency or death occurs? No I'm not sure Some information would be accessible Most important information could be located Yes, the appropriate people know exactly where to find the information they would need None Have you identified family traditions, stories, values, or lessons that you want future generations to understand and carry forward? No, I haven't really considered this I've thought about what I would want to pass forward I've identified some important stories, values, or traditions I've intentionally shared many of them with my family Yes, they have been intentionally shared, recorded, preserved, or passed forward None How valuable do you believe intentional family conversations about inheritance, preparation, and legacy can be? I don't think they're particularly necessary I'm unsure how helpful they would be I think they could be helpful I believe they're very important I believe they're essential to helping families prepare and move forward with greater clarity None Do you currently have an estate plan that reflects your wishes for how your assets and responsibilities should be handled? No, I don't have an estate plan I've started thinking or gathering information about it I have some documents or plans in place, but they may be incomplete Yes, I have an estate plan, but it may need to be reviewed or updated Yes, I have a current estate plan that reflects my wishes None Have you put documents in place that authorize someone you trust to act for you if you become unable to make financial or healthcare decisions? No I'm aware I need to address this I have some documents in place, but I'm unsure whether everything is covered Yes, the appropriate documents are in place, but they may need review Yes, my documents are current and the people I've selected understand their roles None Have you reviewed the beneficiary designations on accounts such as retirement plans, life insurance, or other assets that pass by beneficiary designation? No, I haven't reviewed them I'm not sure which accounts have beneficiary designations I've reviewed some, but not all I've reviewed most of them Yes, they have been reviewed and reflect my current intentions None Loading questions... Loading questions... Name Email Phone Previous Begin Your Assessment Continue Time's up
