It’s The Right Time To Update Your Estate Plan

Posted in Estate Planning by Tracey Ingle on September 5, 2024

Back-to-School Season & Your Estate Plan

If you are, or have ever been, a parent (or have ever consumed any content during the months of August & September) Back-to-School season is real.

Every year we mark this time with new pens and notebooks, new classrooms, new schools, new locales, a new level of independence. Maybe all they’re coping with is a new haircut, but still.

Why Now is the Perfect Time to Review Your Estate Plan

While you’re thinking about your family: catching up with coworkers about how you spent your family vacation, and settling into September schedules, it’s a perfect time to add to the To Do list, “Create/Review/Update Estate Plan to protect my family.”

Because here’s the thing: life is busy, and it’s never going to feel like a wonderful time to tackle this task. (We love the process of estate planning but recognize we’re not the most typical human beings in this regard.)

Reasons to Strengthen Your Estate Plan Now

This stage of life is the perfect time to strengthen your plan.

Your kids may age out of former laws and need new legal documents (like when they turn 18).
Your parents may be aging and no longer the best choice to act as guardians or executors.
Changes in marital status, assets, residences, ages, and state laws all affect the strength, clarity, and relevance of your estate plan.

If you don’t have one — you need one. If you have one — planning and documentation is not a “one and done” task; review and update it now. We’ve seen outdated plans fail too many times to allow you to avoid this important exercise.

Steps to Take: Finding the Right Lawyer

Estate Plan is now on your September to do list — good job! Where do you even begin?

Find a Specialist: Start with finding a lawyer who specializes and has expertise in Estate Planning. Not all law is created equal, and your sister-in-law’s cousin may not necessarily have deep familiarity with this branch of the law.
Review Existing Plans: If you’re reviewing a plan you have in place, go back to the lawyer who drew it up, but also remember that you aren’t tied to them. We have many clients who have brought plans to us, which we’ve been able to review, update, strengthen, and downright rescue, to be honest. If you created your plan with us, it’s best to schedule an annual check-up to ensure it will work when your family needs it. This helps you regain the same peace of mind you had when you first signed your documents.
Choose Local: Somebody local is probably best because you can meet with them face to face, time zones are the same, and state laws differ—you want your plan to be relevant where YOU reside.
Comfort & Fit: Because you’ll be discussing personal wishes and sensitive topics, you want someone you feel comfortable talking to. Estate plans are NOT reserved for the rich and powerful—they are for everyone. No matter how good their credentials are, don’t settle for a lawyer who makes you feel inferior, unintelligent, slow, or guilty in any way.
Fit, Facility, and Fees: Fit, facility, and face time are important factors. So are fees, of course. Download 10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire Any Estate Planning Lawyer so you’re prepared to interview top choices, and ensure you are comparing apples to apples when you make your choice. Ask these Questions of any Estate Planning lawyer you have in place right now—you will learn some valuable information.

And then give yourself a big, shiny, red apple for taking a bite of a tough but necessary task.

The first step is always the hardest!

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L.M., Holliston, Mass.
Thank you for all of your help in the handling of my mother's estate. I know it wasn't an easy one to close.
L.I., Holliston, Mass.
I just wanted to thank you for all you have done to help me with Dad. I don't know how I would have been able to deal with everything alone. I just want you to know I appreciate it very much.
P.C., Bolton, Mass.
I always sing your praises when the subject of estate planning or Medicaid come up. My sincerity must come through because I truly was impressed with your handling of my own case. Thanks so much.
A.C., Concord, Mass.
Thanks for the multiple updates! The entire matter could be sit-com material if it wasn't real. I like the way you are handling it!
B.G., Sudbury, Mass.
You made a bewildering task comfortable for us with your detailed explanations, inexhaustible patience and easy manner. I especially appreciated your thoughtfulness in working with my Mom and the graciousness with which you addressed the two changes made to the carefully crafted plan. I will look forward to working with you again, not only with Mom's needs, but as my husband and I review our own plans. Thank you.
E.C., Marlborough, Mass.
Thanks for your help. We'll see you again I'm sure.
N.S., Winthrop, Mass.
You have made my year a little easier. Thank you for all your help.
Financial Advisor, Hudson, Mass.
Thanks again for the comfortable, caring approach you use as you deal with important life continuation issues.
B.W., Framingham, Mass.
Tracey! Many thanks for bringing so many pieces of the puzzle, for your non-anxious presence, for the complex gleam in your eye which at a minimum includes intelligence, humor, clarity, experience, eagerness to help and friendship and for conversations just begun. Thanks! Peace and blessings.
P.P., Lee, Mass.
I want to thank you for your help with my perplexing situation back in January. I'm so happy that I thought to tell the woman who called that I would to talk with my lawyer. As always, you did a very nice job of handling all the details with myself and all the contacts related to the situation. Thanks for all your good help.
D.D., Marlborough, Mass.
Thank you so much for helping me at a time I really needed it. I hope you will always be successful because you are a kind person who has insight to put an elderly client at ease.
C.R., Hudson, Mass.
On behalf of [our Church], I would like to extend a sincere "Thank you!" for your participation in the health fair. Not only did you give a very informative and helpful presentation, but you also extended yourself and helped with the projector as well as helping the other presenters get set up. All above and beyond the call of duty, but I am very grateful for all of your assistance and expertise. There was much learned after actually hosting this type of venue for the first time. I hope that if we run this type of event next year that you would like to be involved.
S.M., Newton, Mass.
Thank you again for all your excellent work on my Dad's probate estate.
S. & J. W., Southborough, Mass.

There were several things that were beneficial in working with Attorney Ingle including her ability to simplify complicated concepts so the average person could understand them and an ability to put the client at ease when discussing private, personal issues. She was willing to explain things without making me feel ignorant. We now have the peace of mind in knowing that we have put out finances in order in a manner that will hopefully be beneficial to not only us but our children as well.
L.B., Framingham, Mass.
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S.M., Newton, Mass.

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R.S., Framingham, Mass.

I like that you were autonomous and took a load off of my mind and to do list. My aunt's estate was a confused mess. You dug through the piles of paperwork and brought order to it. I felt that I was supported by a team. You guys did a great job with a tough estate. I never worried about hot it was being handled.
R.H., Framingham, Mass.

I liked the professional and warm atmosphere of the firm. I felt comfortable that my needs were being considered. I've worked with other attorneys before, but working with Ingle Law was more personal. Thank you.

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