December 22, 2025

As the year draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to review your estate plan. Discover why proactive year-end estate planning protects your legacy and ensures peace of mind for your family.

Why Year-End Is the Smartest Time to Revisit Your Estate Plan

As the holidays approach and the year winds down, many business owners and families are focused on wrapping up financial matters and spending time with loved ones. But there’s one critical task that should also be on your checklist: reviewing your estate plan.

Estate planning isn’t a one-and-done activity. Life changes, tax laws evolve, and your legacy goals may shift over time. That’s why year-end is the ideal opportunity to revisit your documents, align your strategies, and ensure your plan still reflects your wishes.

Here’s why now is the smartest time to act—and how to do it effectively.

1. Major Life Events May Require Updates

Have you experienced a marriage, divorce, birth, death, or other major event this year? These changes can have a significant impact on your estate plan.

Key areas to review:

• Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, life insurance, and trusts
• Guardianship provisions if you have minor children
• Healthcare directives and powers of attorney in case someone new needs to step in

Staying current protects your family from confusion and unintended consequences.

2. Capitalize on Annual Gifting Opportunities

The IRS allows individuals to gift up to $19,000 per recipient (2025 limit) annually without triggering gift tax. If you haven’t utilized this exclusion yet, year-end is your final chance.

Strategic gifting:

• Reduces the size of your taxable estate
• Helps loved ones or charities in a meaningful way
• Can shift wealth to the next generation in a tax-efficient manner

For business owners or high-net-worth families, this strategy is especially valuable when coordinated with trusts or family entities.

3. Tax Law Changes Are Always on the Horizon

Tax reform remains a moving target in Washington. The current federal estate tax exemption ($13.99 million in 2025) is set to increase to $15M in 2026.

If your estate exceeds—or may exceed—these thresholds, now is the time to:

• Explore advanced strategies like SLATs, GRATs, or IDGTs
• Leverage the temporarily high exemption before it’s gone
• Coordinate estate and income tax planning for optimal results

Proactive planning now avoids scrambling later—and ensures your wealth is preserved on your terms.

4. Ensure Alignment Across All Assets

Even the best-crafted estate plan can fall short if your asset titling and beneficiary designations don’t match your intentions.

Year-end is a great time to double-check:

• How real estate, investment accounts, and business interests are titled
• Whether your trust is fully funded
• If outdated accounts still name the wrong beneficiaries

A comprehensive review with your advisor or estate attorney helps close these gaps.

5. Set the Stage for the New Year

An updated estate plan gives you the gift of peace of mind—knowing your family is protected and your wishes are clear.

It also creates clarity heading into the new year:

• Your business succession plan is current
• Charitable giving strategies are aligned with your values
• Family members know who to contact and what to expect

There’s no better time to align your financial and legacy goals.

Let’s Make It Happen Before Year-End

At Omni Legacy Law and Omni 360 Advisors, we specialize in helping business owners, multigenerational families, and high-net-worth individuals take control of their legacy. Whether you’ve had a liquidity event, expanded your business, or just want to ensure your family is covered, we’re here to guide you.

👉 Schedule a legacy or estate plan review with Omni Legacy Law
👉 Book a strategic planning session with Omni 360 Advisors

Start the new year with confidence—knowing your estate plan is working for you.