| name | succession-planning-summary |
| title | Succession Planning Summary |
| description | Synthesizes wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives into a unified estate succession reference document. Covers asset distribution maps, trust structures, fiduciary appointments, special provisions, and administration timelines. Use when onboarding to an estate matter, preparing executor guides, summarizing estate plans, or bridging complex instruments with practical implementation steps. |
| author | CaseMark |
| author_url | https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/succession-planning-summary |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| execution_mode | open |
| jurisdiction | general |
| practice | trusts-and-estates |
| language | en |
| tags | ["summarization","summary","transactional"] |
Succession Planning Summary
Produces a single reference document that consolidates all estate planning instruments for executors, trustees, and beneficiaries.
Header disclaimer: This summary does not replace legal counsel. Mark unverified or ambiguous provisions with [REQUIRES LEGAL REVIEW].
Prerequisites
- Estate planning instruments — wills, codicils, trust agreements, beneficiary designation forms
- Fiduciary documents — powers of attorney, healthcare directives/proxies
- Asset inventory — real property, financial accounts, business interests, significant personal property
- Amendments or restatements — with dates, to establish document priority
Quick Start
- Collect all instruments and confirm which is most recent for each category
- Build the executive overview table (plan structure, beneficiaries, fiduciaries)
- Map every asset to its transfer mechanism (probate, trust, or beneficiary designation)
- Document each trust, fiduciary appointment, and special provision
- Draft the administration timeline with statutory deadlines
- Flag gaps, conflicts, and time-sensitive items
Output Structure
1. Executive Overview
| Element | Content |
|---|
| Plan structure | Revocable trust-centered, will-based, or hybrid |
| Primary beneficiaries | Named individuals/entities with relationship |
| Major asset categories | Real property, financial, business, personal property |
| Distribution philosophy | Equal split, needs-based, conditional, phased |
| Key fiduciaries | Executor, trustee(s), guardian(s) |
2. Asset Distribution Map
Organize by transfer mechanism. Use this table for each asset:
| Asset | Transfer Mechanism | Primary Beneficiary | Contingent Beneficiary | Conditions |
|---|
| {asset} | probate / trust / beneficiary designation | {name, %} | {name, %} | {if any} |
Probate assets: specific bequests, percentage/residuary allocations, contingent chains.
Non-probate transfers: beneficiary designations (retirement, life insurance, POD/TOD), joint tenancy, trust-funded assets.