Thursday, May 26, 2011

Updating Your Will with an Estate Planning Attorney in Houston

As an estate planning attorney in Houston, I commonly see people who understand the importance of the initial estate planning but then forget that they need to keep their wills and trusts up-to-date.  These documents aren’t something that should just be done once and then tucked into a safety deposit box never to be visited again.  Actually, there are several times in the course of your life that you need to dig out your wills and trusts and make changes.

·Marriage – Obviously, when you get married, you will have a new spouse to consider when it comes to things like inheritance, living wills, and powers of attorney.

· Divorce – If you don’t relish the thought of your ex receiving your estate, you may want to meet up with your Houston estate planning attorney to make some changes.

· Children – The addition of a child should trigger a need to reevaluate your will and other documents.  Estate planning is often thought of as a way to care for your children after your death, and that can only be done if you keep your documents current with the birth of each child.

· Purchases – If you acquire new assets, whether in the form of real estate or something else of value, you will want to call your estate planning attorney to be sure it is covered in your will.

· Health – You may find that certain health conditions cause you to reconsider the wishes outlined in your living will.  This ensures that your loved ones and healthcare providers are apprised of your decisions.

· Insurance – Over the course of your insurance policy’s life, you may find that you want to change the terms, such as the type of coverage you have or the beneficiaries of your policy.  When changes like this occur, it is important to have an estate planning attorney reflect that in your legal documents.

A Houston estate planning attorney will be current on federal, state, county, and city laws and will be able to guide you as you keep your wills and trusts up-to-date.  This protects you and your beneficiaries and can actually keep your will from being invalidated after your death.

So if it’s been awhile since you’ve updated your estate plan, I invite you to give our office a call and schedule a complimentary Lifetime Legacy Planning Session to have your documents reviewed ($750 value).  Simply call (281) 218-0880 to get started.