As we have pointed out before, the time for Buffalo residents to get going with estate planning is today, not tomorrow. We don't mean to put pressure on you, since we all have things going on in our lives, but it's just a fact that incidents that will make estate planning steps worth it can happen at any time. We do not like to think about that, but it is true.

That being said, where does one even begin estate planning? Step One is not as easy to find as one might think. Of course, making an appointment with an estate planning attorney is a great idea, but if you walk into that attorney's office without doing any sort of preparation, you may find yourself walking out with way more to consider than you thought.

So, in the interest of making that conversation helpful and efficient rather than overwhelming, here are a few things to which you will want to give some thought before you embark on estate planning.

First, if you have children, think about whom you want to appoint as a guardian for them if something were to happen. Think about who has a good relationship with your kids and would raise them in a way of which you approve. Also ask yourself whether that person is in good health and is financially able to care for children. This is not an easy decision, so do not rush yourself.

Then, think about the grand total of your assets. The reason you need to do this is that you need to think about who you are going to name as a beneficiary. Naturally, you have goals, but if would not make sense if you had, say, 20 possible beneficiaries and not quite enough assets to go around because then your goals may not be met. It may be better, in a case like that, to trim the list down.

Finally, think about what would happen if you could not make your own medical decisions. Do you want someone to make decisions for you, or would you like to leave a set of instructions for your doctors to follow.

These are a few very broad things to turn over in your mind before you get started. An attorney who is experienced in this field will be able to help you flesh out your estate plan in full detail, but it's a good idea to spend some time thinking about these things first.

Source: Forbes, "A Common Sense Approach to Estate Planning," Nancy Anderson, Jan. 19, 2012