July is National Family Reunion Month, the perfect time to reconnect with family both near and far away, to share updates, and to reminisce about the wonderful memories you share together. If you happen to be getting together with your loved ones this month, it’s also a good time to talk to them about your shared goals, family resources, and the legacy you want to leave behind for the next generation. 

Estate planning might seem too heavy a topic for a family reunion, but this kind of get-together can actually be a valuable opportunity to bring all of you closer together by enabling everyone to speak openly about their wishes for the family’s assets. Often, these conversations at reunions actually can unify family members as they work together toward the family’s future well-being.

If you’re not sure how to bring up estate planning in a way that helps your family feel that they matter and have a voice, we can help you navigate the conversation.

1 | Invite Your Loved Ones into the Conversation In Advance

Instead of springing a “serious talk” on your relatives at your reunion, reach out to them in advance and let them know that you’d like to set aside some time during the event to talk about your family’s legacy and how you can work together to take care of each other in the future. 

Remember, everyone likes to feel like they’re being included and that their input in family matters is important and valued. Any ongoing concerns with your family, such as an aging relative’s declining memory or someone’s upcoming knee surgery, are natural lead-ins to bring up the topic of planning ahead.

If anyone is resistant to the idea of talking about estate planning at the family get-together, don’t push them. Instead, try to be understanding, and keep the invitation to the discussion open in case they change their mind.

2 | Be Vulnerable and Explain Why Estate Planning Is Important to You

To begin the conversation, assure everyone that the goal of the discussion is to make sure the family’s future security and well-being are taken care of, no matter what happens. Keep it general—don’t pry into anyone’s finances, health, or relationships. Instead, the goal is to ensure that everyone’s wishes are clearly understood and respected. At the outset, let everyone know that it’s not about finding out how much money someone stands to inherit.

Second, communicate to your family that talking about these issues now is a good way to avoid future conflict, hard feelings, and expense. When family members don’t clearly understand the reasoning behind one another’s planning choices, this can cause conflict, resentment, and even costly legal battles in the future. 

Next, tell your loved ones that today’s conversation about estate planning is just a starting point, and that it can be continued as an open dialogue with the whole family for years to come. Nothing binding has to be decided in this initial conversation. Position it as a way to begin to talk about the future health and well-being of your family, not as a conversation about dividing assets at someone’s death. This will help your relatives feel more at ease, and hopefully, be open to joining the conversation.

If you have not yet handled your own personal estate planning, now would be a great time to do that before you talk to your family members. This way when you speak with them, you can share your personal experience and how handling your own estate planning has helped you think more deeply about what matters to you, how you want to live the rest of your life, and how you’d love them to have the same peace of mind about the future as you have.

3 | Set a Time and Place for the Conversation

Rather than trying to find the right moment to bring up the topic during the event, set a time and place with your family in advance of the get-together. Try not to make the meeting sound too serious or foreboding. Simply asking if everyone can meet around the fire pit at 6:00pm or meet at your house for coffee at 9:00am would work well.  

I also highly recommend establishing an end time for the discussion. By doing this, your family will know the time boundaries and won’t be looking at their watches during the meeting or feeling like they’re being hijacked. Setting—and sticking to—a schedule for the conversation will also hopefully encourage your family to participate and stay on topic.

And finally, come to the meeting with a list of the most important points you’d like to cover, and encourage your family members to do the same. Keep the list short so the discussion doesn’t go over time.

If there are too many things to cover in the time allotted, that’s okay. Talk about the most important topics and agree as a family to get together again on a specific date either in person, on the phone, or via video chat to continue the discussion and flesh out any details that were left for later.

4 | Focus on Your Family’s Legacy

While talking to your loved ones about estate planning, remember to talk about your family’s legacy and your desire to pass on your cumulative stories, memories, values, and lessons to the younger generation and beyond, not just the assets. A family reunion is a wonderful way to come together, and estate planning can be an amazing tool for maintaining your family’s most important assets, which are all of you.

Let your family know that estate planning isn’t just about planning for death—it’s also about planning ahead so you can enjoy your life to the fullest now, knowing that everything and everyone you love will be taken care of in the event that someone becomes ill or passes away. 

In addition, for many of my clients a family reunion is also a unique opportunity to capture their family’s most valued memories and stories through a process I call the Family Wealth Legacy Interview. During this Interview, I help them audibly record the things that mean the most to them, things they want to pass on that are far more valuable than assets. this recording of our loved

If you would like further guidance on how to talk to your family about estate planning, or you are interested in beginning your own estate planning journey, give me a call.  As your Personal Family Lawyer®, my goal is to guide you through each stage of planning your life and legacy. If I can help bring your entire family together on estate planning goals, that is even better.

As I explained in Part 1, estate planning is not a one-and-done task to then check off your to-do list for good. Rather, in order for your estate plan to follow your wishes no matter how your life evolves, it needs to change and adapt with your circumstances.

To make sure any big changes in your life are considered in your plan, I recommend reviewing your estate plan with your attorney at least every three years. If any major life events occur before then, it’s crucial to have your plan reviewed as soon as possible so it can be updated if needed.

Last week, I talked about 10 life changes that might affect your estate plan [link to last week’s blog]. This week, I will discuss five more life events that signal it’s time to review your plan.

06 | You Became Seriously Ill or Injured

A sudden illness or injury can leave you incapacitated and unable to manage your affairs. Therefore, it’s essential to review your estate plan to ensure that it includes Powers of Attorney for healthcare and finances. These documents allow you to name someone you trust to pay your bills and manage your assets, as well as make medical decisions for you if you can’t speak for yourself.

It’s also important to include healthcare directives that describe what kind of healthcare you want to receive if you become incapacitated. This can include dietary restrictions or preferences, religious beliefs, or limits to certain treatments or life-sustaining measures. By legally documenting your healthcare choices, your Power of Attorney will feel more comfortable in the role and will be able to make medical decisions for you that align with your wishes.

07 | You Changed State Residency

Each state has its own laws and regulations regarding estate planning. If you moved from one state to another after completing your estate plan, it’s important to have your plan reviewed by a local attorney. If your existing plan does not meet your new state’s requirements as to how an estate plan is signed or witnessed, or contains terms or processes that differ from the processes of your former state, this can cause delays when your plan needs to be executed and may even require a court to review its validity.

Reviewing your plan with a local attorney and making any changes to comply with your present state’s laws will ensure that your estate plan can be carried out at any moment without delay or confusion.

08 | You Got Married

As well as joy and celebration, marriage brings about important legal updates that are easy to put off, and our estate plan needs to reflect your new marital status.

To make sure your assets will go to your new spouse if you die or become incapacitated, it’s essential to update beneficiaries and make arrangements for shared assets. Additionally, you might consider creating provisions to protect your spouse financially and emotionally in the event of your passing.

09 | You Got a Divorce

The end of a marriage is a significant life event that requires immediate attention to your estate plan. After a divorce, you will likely need to revoke and redo your entire estate plan. This includes creating a new Will and Trust, updating beneficiary designations on life insurance and retirement accounts, and revising asset distribution to reflect your new circumstances and relationships.

If you have children from your previous marriage, you may need to revisit guardianship arrangements and provide for their financial needs accordingly.

10 | Tax Law Changed

Tax laws are often subject to change, and revisions to estate tax exemptions can have a substantial impact on your estate plan. If there are significant changes in federal or state estate tax laws, it’s imperative to review your plan with an estate planning attorney to minimize tax burdens and protect your assets for your loved ones’ futures.

Even if you have not been affected by federal or state estate taxes in the past, changes in federal estate tax law are scheduled for 2026. This means that now is the time to review whether this change will affect your family’s estate tax filing status. Estate taxes can cost your family potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars, but these tax liabilities are optional and can be avoided with proper estate planning.

By Your Side Through All of Life’s Changes

Your estate plan serves as the foundation protecting your family and finances, not just for today but for the future. As your Personal Family Lawyer®, my mission is to be by your side through all of life’s changes, ensuring that your estate plan remains up-to-date and effective no matter what life brings your way. That is why I offer my clients a complimentary review of their estate plan every three years. I encourage you to reach out at any time before then with questions about life changes or events that might affect your plan.

If you’re ready to create an estate plan that protects your loved ones and your legacy, or if you would like your existing plan reviewed, please give me a call. I’d be honored to help ensure your family’s well-being for years to come.

Click on my scheduling link below to get started. I can’t wait to hear from you.

You might think that creating a Will or Trust is something you do once and then your family and assets are protected forever. It wouldn’t be surprising if you thought this, as this is the way most lawyers structure their estate planning services. I.e., you create a Will or Trust with your lawyer, he/she drafts documents, you leave the firm with them in a binder, you put them on a shelf or in a drawer, and you never hear from your lawyer again. Estate plan, done. Actually, no, it’s not, and this kind of thinking can leave your family with a big mess if and when something happens to you. 

In reality, life events can drastically affect your estate plan and even cause it to play out differently than the way you intended. To make sure your plan remains up to date throughout your life, we recommend reviewing it at a minimum of every three years. Because I am so passionate about this, I offer to review my clients’ plans every three years for free. 

If any of the following 10 life events happen before your three-year plan review, you should have your plan professionally reviewed right away. At this point, I’d like to explain in depth how these 10 life events can affect your estate plan and what changes may be required.

01 | Your Assets or Liabilities Changed

Life is full of changes, and your financial situation will likely change several times over time. Changes in your assets, such as acquiring a new home or other assets, selling property, or incurring debt should prompt a review of your estate plan. You may need to update asset distribution, beneficiary designations and financial provisions to reflect these changes accurately and ensure that your loved ones receive what you intend when you pass away. Most importantly, you need to update your asset inventory every time your assets change. If you do not have an asset inventory, please call us to help you update your plan to ensure that an inventory is included. The biggest risk to your family in the event of your incapacity or death is that they are not aware of your assets, where they are, or how to find them. Updating your asset inventory regularly can solve this problem.

02 | You Bought, Sold, or Started a Business

Owning a business adds another layer of complexity to your estate plan. If you’ve recently bought, sold, or started a business, it’s essential to update your plan to reflect your intentions regarding your business when you die, to ensure a smooth transfer of ownership (if desired), and to create a plan to protect your business assets for yourself and your loved one’s future. 

The financial and personal value of your business can be a significant gift to your loved ones, both today and for years to come—if it is incorporated into your estate plan correctly.

03 | You Gave Birth or Adopted a Child

Welcoming a new child into your family is an incredibly joyful moment, and also signals that you need to update your estate plan to include provisions for your child’s well-being and financial future. This includes naming Guardians for minor children, creating a Kids Protection Plan, and ensuring their financial security through Trusts or other means.

It’s also important to document your wishes for your child’s education, religion, and values in your plan so that their his/her Guardians will know how you would want your child raised if something happened to you.

04 | Your Minor Child Reached the Age of Majority (or Will Soon)

As your children grow up and reach the age of majority, this is the time to review how they will receive their inheritance, ensure that someone can legally make healthcare decisions for them, and manage their finances in the event that they become incapacitated. Depending on their level of maturity, you may want to consider if they are ready to handle assets on their own and if so, what amount. 

A more solid idea is to provide lifelong protection of your child’s inheritance through a Lifetime Asset Protection Trust. This estate planning tool enables your child’s inheritance to be used to support your his/her future, while safeguarding its use and protecting it from any potential future lawsuits or divorces your child may face later in life. 

This type of trust ensures that your children are financially secure as they head into adulthood, while also assigning them financial responsibility.

05 | A Loved One Died

The loss of a family member is emotionally devastating, and can significantly affect your estate plan. If a deceased loved one was a recipient of assets under your Will, Trust or financial accounts, it is imperative that these documents are updated to make sure your assets will be distributed to the correct recipients.

Additionally, if the deceased individual was designated as a Trustee or Executor of your estate or a Guardian of your minor children, you will need to appoint new individuals to fill these roles.

Planning for Life’s Changes

Your estate plan is a crucial foundation that protects your family and your finances today and in the future. But estate planning is not a set-it-and-forget-it task; rather, your estate plan should change and evolve with the changes in your life. 

As your Personal Family Lawyer® firm, we’re here to guide you through life’s changes to keep your estate plan up-to-date and effective, so that you can have peace of mind knowing that your plan will be executed exactly how you want it to be when your loved ones need it most.

If you’ve recently experienced a significant life event or if it has been some time since your last estate plan review, now is the time to review your plan. If you haven’t created an estate plan yet, I strongly urge you to start the process now. Having no plan at all is truly a regrettable place to be.

To get started, contact me to schedule a free 15-minute discovery call to learn more about my Family Wealth Planning Session process. We’ll discuss your family dynamics and goals, address any changes in your life, and create a comprehensive estate plan that achieves your wishes and brings you peace of mind.

In my next article,  I’ll discuss five more life events that signal it’s time to review your plan.

As summer comes to a close and kids head back to school, there is one crucial element that is often overlooked: designating legal guardians for your minor children. Legal guardians are the individuals you entrust with the care of your children if for any reason you are unable to do so yourself. 

In the middle of back-to-school shopping and those last few days of summer fun, naming legal guardians for your children might seem like a low priority, but actually nothing could be farther from the truth. 

Once kids return to school, they will spend most of their days in the care of other people: teachers, coaches and babysitters. This means that your children will spend the majority of their time with people who do not have any legal authority to take care of them (for more than a brief time) in the event you are incapacitated or can’t be reached for any reason. 

If your kids are going off to college, you’ll no longer be able to make decisions for them or have access to their medical records in an emergency, unless they are over 18 and create Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives.

Don’t Rely on Informal Agreements

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and as parents, you may agree! You have a network of friends or family you feel you can rely on to step in and care for your child if the need arises. However, it is essential not to rely solely on informal arrangements with relatives or friends to care for your children if you can’t. 

Whether you are incapacitated in the hospital or have passed away, there’s a chance your child could be taken into protective custody by social services until you recover or until a permanent arrangement can be made. 

Here’s what you need to think about: the person who takes custody of your child may not be someone your child even knows, but a complete stranger in the foster care system. Or even worse, that person could be someone you would never want to raise your child but who is nevertheless appointed by a court system that doesn’t know your wishes or how you would want your child to be raised.

In addition, if you do not name legal guardians for your kids while they are still minors, you risk creating conflict among family members who want to care for your children and who may subject them to a lengthy and costly court process—an unnecessary burden that can easily be avoided. In fact, failing to name more than one guardian is one of the 6 Common Mistakes people make when choosing a guardian for their kids. (Click here to download our free book.)

You know your child and your family better than anyone else, and you know who would be the best choice to raise your child if something happened to you. Unfortunately, unless you document your choice of guardian in advance, the decision of who would raise your child if you cannot do so will ultimately be left to a judge who does not know you or your family dynamics.

Instead, naming short-term and long-term guardians for your children ensures that they are always cared for by people you know and trust. 

If your kids are at college, you cannot assume that they would want you to have access to their medical records and financial accounts if something happened to them. Hospitals and banks need official legal documents in order for you to get access to these items if needed. That’s why we provide all of our client families with young adult planning documents for kids away at college.

Comprehensive Protection for Your Child

To make sure your children are always protected and cared for by people you trust, it’s essential to create a comprehensive Kids Protection Plan®. This extremely valuable plan enables you to name short-term temporary guardians who have immediate authority to care for your children in an emergency, as well as long-term permanent guardians who can raise your children if you are no longer able to.  

Our Kids Protection Plan® also equips you with emergency ID cards that contain instructions for first responders to contact your child’s guardian if you are in an accident so that the guardian can be with your child as soon as possible. In addition, all caregivers are provided with precise instructions on how to reach your short- and long-term guardians. Everyone involved in your plan will have the necessary legal documents on hand to ensure a smooth process if the need for a guardian arises. 

In this way, not only have you legally named guardians for your children but you’ve created an entire safety plan to ensure they are always cared for in the way you would want in any situation.

For your college-age kids, our plan includes creating young adult planning documents such as Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives that allow you to access your kids’ accounts or make medical decisions for them if they become incapacitated by illness or injury. 

A Thoughtful Approach for Your Peace of Mind

As your Personal Family Lawyer® firm, we are dedicated to securing the well-being of your children in all circumstances. As back-to-school season approaches, we urge you not to overlook this essential action for parents: naming legal guardians and creating your own Kids Protection Plan®.  

First, we will guide you through our unique planning process so you can choose the right plan for you, your children, and everyone you love. We begin with a Family Wealth Planning Session™ during which I get to know your family on a personal level to understand your unique dynamics and assets. I will thoroughly explain the legal details of guardianship and answer any questions you may have. Together we will go through exactly what would happen to your assets and your loved ones if something happened to you today.

Next, as a team, we will choose the best plan for you—within your budget and which achieves your personal objectives—based on your specific family situation. The goal is to make sure your children and your family are cared for and protected no matter what happens, so that all of you can enter this new academic year with peace of mind.

To learn more and get started with your own Family Wealth Planning Session™, click the button below to schedule a complimentary discovery call. I can’t wait to work with you.