There are Five Estate Planning steps you should take in early 2020.
Many of us set New Year’s resolutions to improve our quality of life. While it’s often a goal to exercise more or eat more healthily, you can also resolve to improve your financial well being. It’s a great time to review your estate plan to make sure your legacy is protected.
The Tennessean’s recent article entitled “Five estate-planning steps to take in the new year” gives us some common updates for your estate planning.
If you have not done so in the last few years, schedule a meeting with your estate planning attorney to discuss your situation and to help the attorney create your estate plan.
You should also regularly review and update all your estate planning documents.
Goals and priorities change, so review your estate documents annually to make certain that your plan continues to reflect your present circumstances and intent. You may have changes to family or friendship dynamics or a change in assets that may impact your estate plan. It could be a divorce or remarriage; a family member or a loved one with a disability diagnosis, mental illness, or addiction; a move to a new state; or a change in a family business. If there’s a change in your circumstances, get in touch with your estate planning attorney to update your documents as soon as possible.
Federal and state tax and estate laws change, so ask your attorney to look at your estate planning documents every few years in light of any new legislation.
Review retirement, investment, and trust accounts to make certain that they achieve your long-term financial goals. This is especially true if you have large investments in IRAs or other retirement plans, given the new shortened time allowable to withdraw an IRA you inherit.
A frequent estate planning error is forgetting to update the beneficiary designations on your retirement and investment accounts. Thoroughly review your accounts every year to ensure everything is up to snuff in your estate plan.
Communicate your intent to your heirs, who may include family, friends, and charities. It is important to engage in a frank discussion with your heirs about your legacy and estate plan. Because this can be an emotional conversation, begin with these basic estate planning steps.
Having this type of conversation now can prevent conflict and hard feelings later.
Reference: Tennessean (Jan. 3, 2020) “Five estate-planning steps to take in the new year”
