Your Assessment Result

You're in Good Shape. Keep It That Way

You've already done what most people put off: you have estate planning documents in place. That puts you ahead of the majority of American adults. The most important thing now isn't creating new documents. It's keeping the ones you have current.

Your Situation

Estate plans aren't set-and-forget documents. Laws change, life changes, and the people you've named in your documents may change too. An estate plan that was perfect five years ago may have gaps today [2].

The good news: maintaining an estate plan is far simpler than creating one from scratch. It's a periodic review, not a rebuild.

Disclaimer: This is educational information, not legal advice. Every situation is unique. Consult with a qualified estate planning attorney before making decisions.

Your Recommended Next Steps

1

Review Your Documents Every 3–5 Years

Set a recurring reminder to pull out your documents and confirm everything still reflects your wishes [2]. Check that the executor you named is still the right choice, guardian designations still make sense, asset distributions match your current wishes, and your power of attorney agent is still appropriate.

2

Update After Major Life Events

Certain events should trigger an immediate review: marriage or divorce, birth or adoption of a child, death of someone named in your documents, significant change in assets, moving to a different state, or a major health diagnosis [2].

3

Confirm Beneficiary Designations Annually

Retirement accounts and life insurance policies transfer by beneficiary designation, not by will [3]. These are easy to forget and easy to check. Log in once a year and confirm the right people are named.

4

Keep Your Documents Accessible

Your estate plan only works if the right people can find it when they need it. Make sure your executor knows where your documents are stored, someone you trust has access to them, and if stored digitally, someone knows how to access the files.

5

Watch for Law Changes

Estate tax thresholds, probate rules, and beneficiary laws change periodically. Major federal changes may affect your plan even if your personal situation hasn't changed [4]. An attorney review every 5 years or after major tax law changes is a reasonable investment.

One Thing to Consider

If your financial situation has grown significantly since your last plan update, particularly if you now have substantial assets, property in multiple states, or a business, it may be worth asking an attorney whether your current will-based plan should evolve into a trust-based plan. The answer may be no, but it's worth asking.

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Sources

[1] "2024 Wills and Estate Planning Study" — Caring.com · caring.com/caregivers/estate-planning/wills-survey
[2] "Estate Planning Info & FAQs" — American Bar Association · americanbar.org/groups/real_property_trust_estate/resources/estate-planning/
[3] "Planning Ahead — Have You Chosen Your Beneficiaries?" — FINRA · finra.org/investors/insights/choosing-beneficiaries
[4] "Estate Tax" — Internal Revenue Service · irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estate-tax
Last reviewed: February 2026

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