Does a New Year Mean a New Estate Plan?

The new year means New Year’s resolutions. For many of us this means focusing on lifestyle changes. From eating right and exercising more to spending time with loved ones and focusing on ourselves, many of us have a substantial list. As you were making your New Year’s resolutions, however, were you thinking about the health and well-being of your estate plan?

We find that when we ask our clients, many of them answer “no”. While this is not incorrect, we would ask you if your estate plan truly reflects what you need this year. The start of 2020 represents the end of the decade. For most of us, we need to ask if the estate planning that we completed in the last decade, still reflects what we need for ourselves, our loved ones, our businesses, and the future.

There is no one reason why you should, or should not, update or change your Florida estate planning. The reasons why can vary and include, but are not limited to, any of these:

• Divorces

• Remarriages

• Deaths and births

• Changes to the law

• Necessary changes to decision makers

• Changes to your residence

• Changes in your financial structure

• Planning for retirement

Any of these reasons, and more, could be a reason to update your Florida estate planning. The key to your estate plan success is to ensure that it reflects what you need both in life and in death. While many of us focus solely on the fact that the estate plan is necessary to decide who may inherit from you at the time of your passing, it is equally important to know who will have the legal authority to make your decisions in a crisis.

Do you want to be in charge of your decisions no matter what happens in the future and to ensure that your goals for your legacy can be achieved by your Florida estate planning? We know this article may raise more questions than answers for you. Do not put off scheduling a meeting in our office to discuss your Florida estate planning needs now, or anytime in the future.