Wondering Whether You Need to Update Your Estate Plan?

Yes, You Do and Here’s Why

 

6a01b8d0a6271d970c01b8d14fa2a4970c-500piPlease allow us to be frank. It’s unrealistic to think that a piece of paper you draft, reflecting your life at a certain time, will work when your life has completely changed some years later. We’ll use the Kendrick family as an example.

Meet the Kendricks

 

Meet Bill and Karen Kendrick. They got their first estate plan in place when their daughter, Jessica was born 30 years ago. They updated it when their son Steve came along 4 years later. They attended one of our living trust seminars 10 years ago and got a fantastic trust-based plan in place, protecting themselves, their children, grandchildren, and dog, Sadie.

 

Unfortunately, the Kendrick’s didn’t join our client maintenance program; instead, they elected to take on the responsibility of calling for updates themselves. Life got busy and, as you might guess, that didn’t happen.

 

Here’s what’s changed in their lives in the last 10 years.

 

Jessica and Steve are now adults and through college.

 

Jessica has married and now had two daughters. One of the girls may have autism.

 

Steve is also married and is expecting his first child.

 

Karen’s mother is now living with them.

 

They bought a vacation home in Florida.

 

Do you think their estate plan will still work the way they want it to?

 

Changes in Your Own Life

 

The Kendrick’s have experienced a lot of changes, but those changes might be typical of what 10 years brings. Think about the changes in your life over the past 10 years – or – since you last updated your estate plan.

 

Have you moved? Do you have more children or grandchildren? Have you started a business, suffered health problems, or purchased a new home? Do you have new accounts and investments? Do you now care for a parent, pets, or dependent children? Have you remarried, gotten divorced, or retired? Has someone you loved died? Have friends named in your plan as trusted helpers moved away or has your relationship changed? Are your children now adults and able to help you? Do you want to help with grandchildren’s college or dance lessons? Do you see the world in a different way?

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