{"id":4443,"date":"2020-02-16T11:10:35","date_gmt":"2020-02-16T16:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lindabury.com\/firm\/?p=4443"},"modified":"2025-12-31T14:24:41","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T19:24:41","slug":"when-should-estate-planning-documents-be-reviewed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lindabury.com\/firm\/insights\/when-should-estate-planning-documents-be-reviewed.html","title":{"rendered":"When Should Estate Planning Documents Be Reviewed?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As estate planning attorneys, we are frequently asked by clients how often they should review their estate planning documents.\u00a0 Should it be every three years \u2026 every five years \u2026 every ten years?\u00a0 Rather than consider the response in terms of time, we prefer to advise clients to think in terms of need or life stage.\u00a0 On occasion, reviewing estate planning documents after a specified period of time has passed will be prudent, but more often other factors will weigh more heavily.\u00a0 This article will provide guidance to individuals who might wonder whether their estate planning documents are due for review.<\/p>\n<p>The first consideration should be whether there is a need to change a document.\u00a0 For example, after a move to a new state, the estate planning documents should be reviewed by an attorney licensed to practice in that state.\u00a0 Further, if the executor named in a will has died, moved out of state, or is no longer the appropriate person to serve, then the will should be updated to substitute another executor for the one who will no longer serve.\u00a0 Similarly, if a guardian for a minor child is no longer appropriate because he or she has relocated to another state, or because the guardian\u2019s personal circumstances have changed, it may be necessary to revise the will to name a new guardian.\u00a0 A change in the tax laws may also suggest a need for revision of a will or trust.<\/p>\n<p>New life stages may also provide reasons to update estate planning documents.\u00a0 For example, when children are minors, it is oftentimes appropriate to establish a trust to hold a child\u2019s inheritance until a child reaches a specific age in order to safeguard the funds and minimize potential waste.\u00a0 As a child grows up, the need for a trust may be eliminated, or the terms of a trust might warrant a change to give a child different benefits or more control.\u00a0 Similarly, when a child becomes an adult, it may be appropriate to name the child to a position of responsibility, as perhaps appointing the child as an executor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"read_more_link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lindabury.com\/firm\/insights\/when-should-estate-planning-documents-be-reviewed.html\"  title=\"Continue Reading When Should Estate Planning Documents Be Reviewed?\" class=\"more-link\">Continue Reading \u203a<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As estate planning attorneys, we are frequently asked by clients how often they should review their estate planning documents.\u00a0 Should it be every three years \u2026 every five years \u2026 every ten years?\u00a0 Rather than consider the response in terms of time, we prefer to advise clients to think in terms of need or life [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[65,343],"tags":[],"coauthors":[139],"class_list":["post-4443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-insights","category-wills-trusts-estates-insights"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>When Should Estate Planning Documents Be Reviewed? &#8212; February 16, 2020 &#8212; Lindabury, McCormick, Estabrook &amp; Cooper, P.C. 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