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3. Preparing Your Estate Snapshot for Download

The Estate Snapshot transforms complex legal documents into a visual, plain-English flowchart showing how a client’s estate plan works. This video covers the full process: verifying documents before upload, uploading for both client and co-client, requesting the snapshot, and downloading the finished PDF.

 

Duration: ~3 minutes  |  Presented by: Josh Schultz (Director of Implementation)


Before You Upload: Document Checklist

  • All documents must be in easy-to-read PDF format with all page numbers included. Scanned documents should be clear and legible.
  • Upload documents for both client and co-client to ensure the most complete Estate Snapshot. Missing one spouse’s documents will result in an incomplete picture.
  • Accepted document types: Wills, Revocable Trusts, Irrevocable Trusts, Power of Attorney, Healthcare Directives, and Trust Amendments.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. From the client dashboard, select Data and Documents, then click Estate Planning.
  2. Upload the documents for both the client and co-client. Drag-and-drop or browse to select each PDF.
  3. Select Estate Snapshot Request, choose Yes, and select Continue. This sends the documents for review and snapshot generation.
  4. Wait for processing — the Estate Snapshot takes a couple of days because FP Alpha includes a human review step to ensure accuracy. You’ll be notified when it’s ready.
  5. Navigate back to the client dashboard, select Snapshots, and click Estate Planning to view the completed snapshot.
  6. Browse the snapshot — review the family flowchart, fiduciaries, trust distributions, and specific gifts. You can also adjust basic directives like power of attorney or living wills.
  7. Save any changes and click Download File to generate the branded PDF, ready for your client meeting.

Important Note on Processing Time

Unlike tax returns which process in minutes, the Estate Snapshot includes a manual review by FP Alpha’s team to ensure document accuracy. This typically takes a couple of business days. Plan your document collection 4–6 weeks before the client meeting (as Jesse Studeven recommends in the estate planning series) to ensure everything is ready.

Next step

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