Update Your Estate Planning Documents for the New Year

The beginning of the year is an ideal time to review your estate planning documents to ensure they still represent your wishes and circumstances accurately. It's not only important to consider your property and assets, but the people involved—beneficiaries, executor, trustee, guardian, and more.

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update your estate planning documents for the new year

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Updated on: March 26, 2024
Read time: 2 min

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time for you to look over your estate planning documents and make sure everything is according to your wishes, particularly as affected by the previous year's events.

Questions to ask when revising estate plans

When updating your documents, you should consider not only the property and assets that are being distributed, but also the people involved. Carefully consider beneficiaries as well as people with whom you have entrusted other responsibilities, including the executor of your will, trustee of a trust, power of attorney, and guardian of your children.

So what exactly should you be looking for as you update your estate planning documents? What follows are some possible events and circumstances that may require changes in your will or other estate planning documents.

Marriage

Did you, your child, or another family member named in your documents get married?

Divorce

Did you, your child, or another family member named in your documents get divorced?

Birth or adoption

Did you, your child, or someone else give birth or adopt a child that you would like included in your estate planning? Do you have to name a guardian for your children in case of your death?

Child has reached the age of majority

Has a child named in your estate planning documents turned 18 or otherwise reached a milestone set in your estate plan?

Death or serious illness

Has someone named in your estate plan died or fallen seriously ill, especially if it's someone who has been named as your executor, power of attorney, or trustee?

Changes in relationships with people, pets, or organizations

Do you have a new relationship with someone or an organization you would like to include in your planning? Alternately, have you severed any such relationships?

Purchase or sale of major assets

Have you bought or sold a house, opened or closed a business, etc.?

New insurance policies or pension plans

Have you acquired new insurance policies or pension plans that require adjustment of beneficiaries in your estate plan? Have you reached the age at which you are required to take distributions from a pension plan?

Change of your state of residence 

Have you moved and inadvertently made part of your estate plan invalid?

Tax law changes

Are there new or different provisions in the tax law that affects your estate distribution plan?

Get help creating or updating an estate plan. If you're not sure which estate planning documents you need, our estate planning tool can help you decide. Simply answer a few questions, and we will recommend the estate planning documents that are best for your specific situation. Once you determine which estate planning documents you need, our estate planning bundle can help you save money by allowing you to purchase multiple documents for one low price.

 

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This article is for informational purposes. This content is not legal advice, it is the expression of the author and has not been evaluated by LegalZoom for accuracy or changes in the law.

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