March 13, 2018

You need to ensure that your estate plan incorporates unique considerations about changes in your life. Far too many people create their estate plan once and then promptly forget about it. Updating your documents like your life insurance policies and your wills is a must do if you experience any major changes in your life such as the birth of a child or grandchild, a divorce or even a remarriage. 

Few things are as important as estate planning as far too many families find out after the fact when a loved one who failed to put together the necessary documents or to update them after a major change in circumstances, left behind a mess.

In general, if you are having difficulty approaching the mortality aspect of putting together an estate plan, begin to think about it as who you want to make medical decisions, legal documents that will spell out who gets your assets when you pass away, and who can make financial decisions on your behalf. Ideally, your estate plan helps your loved ones make critical decisions at a time when they need it most. Another common and disruptive life change that can turn everything in your world upside down is the loss of a spouse.

You will need to update your contingent beneficiaries on life insurance and other policies after a first spouse passes away. Doing it yourself can be a big mistake when you are approaching the estate planning process with the end goal of protecting your loved ones in mind.