Spring Cleaning: Does Your Estate Plan Need a Refresh?

Spring isn’t just for decluttering closets and deep cleaning your home—it’s also the perfect time to refresh your estate plan. Just like your home needs routine maintenance, so does your estate plan. Life changes, laws evolve, and your financial situation may shift, making it essential to review and update your legal documents regularly.

At Jeffrey S. Berenholz, LLC, we believe estate planning should adapt to your life, not the other way around. Let’s dive into the key areas you should assess this spring to ensure your plan still protects your loved ones and reflects your wishes.

Why Spring is the Perfect Time for an Estate Plan Refresh

Spring symbolizes renewal, making it an ideal time to evaluate your estate plan. Many people create an estate plan and never revisit it, assuming it’s a one-and-done process. However, outdated documents can cause confusion, delays, and even legal disputes.

Estate planning isn’t just about having a will—it’s about ensuring all your legal, financial, and healthcare directives align with your current life and goals.

Review Beneficiaries to Avoid Costly Mistakes

One of the most overlooked estate planning mistakes is outdated beneficiary designations. Many assets—including life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and bank accounts—bypass your will and go directly to the person listed as your beneficiary.

Why This Matters:

If your beneficiary is outdated (e.g., an ex-spouse or deceased relative), your assets may not go where you intended.
Without the right updates, your loved ones could face unexpected financial or legal issues.

Example: Imagine you updated your will to leave everything to your spouse, but your life insurance policy still lists your sibling as the beneficiary. Your sibling—not your spouse—would receive the payout, even if your will states otherwise.

Update Legal Documents to Reflect Your Current Life

Life events like marriage, divorce, having children, moving to a new state, or changes in financial status should trigger an estate plan review. Documents to revisit include:

Your Will or Trust – Ensure assets are distributed correctly and include any new family members or changes in relationships.
Power of Attorney – Confirm the right person is authorized to handle your financial matters if you become incapacitated.
Healthcare Directives – Update who will make medical decisions on your behalf if needed.
Guardianship Designations – If you have minor children, review who you’ve named as their guardian.

Failing to update these documents could mean your assets go to the wrong person, or worse, your family is left without clear guidance during a difficult time.

Organize Your Estate Plan for Easy Access

Even if your estate plan is perfectly structured, it won’t be useful if no one can find it. Spring is a great time to organize and store your documents in a secure, accessible place.

Best Practices for Organizing Your Estate Plan:

Keep original documents in a fireproof and waterproof safe at home.
Provide copies to your executor, trustee, or key family members.
Avoid storing your will in a safe deposit box, as banks restrict access upon your passing.
Maintain a digital copy of your documents, along with a list of key accounts and passwords.

Taking these steps ensures that when the time comes, your family won’t have to dig through paperwork or face unnecessary legal delays.

How Jeffrey S. Berenholz, LLC Can Help You Get Started

Spring cleaning your estate plan doesn’t have to be overwhelming—we’re here to make the process simple and stress-free. At Jeffrey S. Berenholz, LLC, we help individuals and families create, review, and update their estate plans to ensure they remain legally sound and effective.

Take the Next Step

A little estate planning "spring cleaning" today can save your loved ones from stress, legal disputes, and financial burdens in the future. Ready for a refresh?