Wondering Whether You Need to Update Your Estate Plan?

Yes, You Do. And Here’s Why.

Please allow us to be frank. It’s unrealistic to think that a piece of paper – an estate plan – that you draft, reflecting your life at a certain time, will work when your life has completely changed some years later. We’ll use the Chandler family as an example.

Meet the Chandlers

Meet Tom and Melissa Chandler. They got their first estate plan in place when their daughter, Madison was born 30 years ago. They updated it when their son Keith came along 4 years later. They attended an estate planning seminar 10 years ago and got a fantastic trust-based plan in place, protecting themselves, their children, grandchildren, and dog, Ringo.

Unfortunately, the Chandler’s didn’t join the client maintenance program at the law firm that prepared their estate plan; 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. Madison and Keith are now adults and through college.

Madison has married and now had two daughters. One of the girls may have autism.
Keith is also married and is expecting his first child.
Melissa’s mother is now living with them.
They bought a vacation home in Ocean City, Maryland.

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

Changes in Your Own Life

The Chandler’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?

Many things have happened in the past 10 years. Your estate plan needs to reflect the changes in your personal life, financial situation, and goals. There have also been changes in the law and we continuously learn to protect our clients in better and better ways, so the way we do things has changed.

Is Your Estate Plan Out-of-Date?

If you’ve experienced changes like the Chandler’s or it’s been more than 3 to 5 years since you updated your estate plan, it’s time to come in. Call McDonald Law Firm today at (443) 741-1088 or visit our website at www.mcdonaldesq.com to schedule a free consultation and we’ll review your plan and chat with you about what’s been happening in your life, so we can get you and your estate plan up-to-date, reflecting where your life is now.

DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION POSTED ON THIS BLOG IS INTENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO CONVEY LEGAL ADVICE.