Spring Cleaning Season? Don’t Forget Your Estate Plan

Spring Cleaning Season? Don’t Forget Your Estate Plan

 In Estate Planning, Wills & Trusts

Spring in Massachusetts often means opening the windows, clearing out closets, organizing files, and finally tackling those long‑overdue to‑do lists. While you’re in that spring‑cleaning mindset, it’s also a great time to review something that often gets overlooked – your estate planning documents.

Many people are surprised to learn that estate plans aren’t truly “one and done.” Even if your Will or Trust was thoughtfully prepared, life changes – and the law does too.

How Often Should You Review Your Estate Plan?

A good rule of thumb is to review your estate plan every five years, even if everything seems fine. Regular check‑ins help ensure your plan still reflects your wishes and remains consistent with current Massachusetts and federal law.

When an Update Makes Sense

Certain life events should prompt a review sooner, including:

  • Legislative amendments since your initial plan: For instance, the SECURE Act of 2019 and the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 have substantially altered the rules concerning retirement account distributions, which may increase the tax liability for beneficiaries. Furthermore, recent modifications to both Federal (2026) and Massachusetts (2023) exemption thresholds could influence the structuring of your trust.
  • Changes in your health, or the health of someone you’ve named as an agent or trustee
  • Changes in wealth, such as retirement, an inheritance, or the sale of property
  • Concerns about trustees, personal representatives, or other agents, including availability, aging, or changes in relationships
  • Family changes, such as:
    • Births or adoptions
    • Marriages or remarriages
    • Divorces or separations
    • New concerns about children or other beneficiaries

Don’t Forget About Digital Assets

Another issue we commonly see in older Massachusetts estate plans is the lack of digital asset authority. Today, so much of our financial and personal lives exists online, from banking and investment accounts to email, photos, subscriptions, and even cryptocurrency.

If your Will, Trust, or Power of Attorney doesn’t specifically grant authority over digital assets, your fiduciaries may face real obstacles when trying to access or manage online accounts. Clear digital asset powers are now a standard and practical part of modern estate planning.

Spring Is Also a Great Time to Review Trust Funding

For many clients, spring is also an ideal time to review trust funding. This means going through your assets to confirm they are properly owned by – or payable to – your trust, helping to ensure probate avoidance and smooth administration.

Assets to review include:

  • Real estate
  • Taxable investment accounts
  • Retirement accounts
  • Life insurance
  • Checking and savings accounts

Many of our clients find it helpful to review their Asset Trust Organizer (ATO) TM, which identifies, organizes, and tracks all assets and helps spot potential risks or gaps. This simple annual or semi‑annual check can provide peace of mind that everything is properly aligned.

A Small Review Can Make a Big Difference

Taking time this spring to review your estate plan can help prevent confusion down the road and give you confidence that your documents still reflect your goals – for you and for the people you care about.

If it’s been a few years since your last review, or if life has changed, spring is a great season to make sure your estate plan is still working for you.

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