How Often Should You Update Your Estate Plan?

Life changes. Your estate plan should change with it.

A new home. A growing family. A career move. Retirement. Each milestone shapes the decisions you make and the people who matter most. Regularly reviewing your estate plan helps ensure your wishes remain clear and your loved ones have the information they need when the time comes.

Estate planning attorneys generally recommend reviewing your estate plan every three to five years. Certain life events deserve an immediate review because they affect the people, assets, or decisions included in your plan.

Why Regular Reviews Matter

An estate plan reflects a snapshot of your life at a specific moment. As the years pass, that snapshot becomes less accurate.

A review gives you the opportunity to confirm that your documents still reflect:

• Your family

• Your financial accounts

• Your property

• The people you've chosen to carry out your wishes

• Your healthcare preferences

• Your personal priorities

  
  

Many reviews take less than an hour. Small updates today can prevent confusion years from now.

Life Events That Should Prompt an Update

Marriage

Marriage often brings shared finances, new property, and new priorities.

Review your will, trust, beneficiary designations, healthcare directive, and powers of attorney so they reflect your current wishes.

Divorce

Divorce often changes who should receive your assets and who should make financial or healthcare decisions if you cannot.

Updating your estate plan soon after a divorce helps keep your documents aligned with your current relationships.

Becoming a Parent

The arrival of a child changes nearly every family's priorities.

Parents often use this opportunity to:

• Name guardians

• Review life insurance

• Create trusts for children

• Update beneficiaries

• Organize important family information

  
  

Clear planning gives caregivers and family members confidence if they ever need to step in.

Buying or Selling a Home

Real estate often becomes one of the largest parts of an estate.

Review property ownership, mortgage information, insurance policies, and any documents related to your home whenever you buy or sell property.

Changes to Your Financial Life

A review makes sense after:

• Receiving an inheritance

• Starting or selling a business

• Opening investment accounts

• Purchasing rental property

• Retiring

• Reaching a significant financial milestone

  
  

Each change shapes the legacy you plan to leave behind.

Changes to the People Named in Your Plan

Executors, trustees, guardians, and agents play important roles.

Review your documents whenever one of these individuals passes away, moves, or experiences changes that affect their ability to serve.

Moving to Another State

State laws vary. A review with an estate planning attorney helps ensure your documents continue to reflect your wishes and comply with your new state's requirements.

How Many Americans Have an Estate Plan?

Many Americans recognize the importance of estate planning. Far fewer have taken the steps to create or maintain a current plan.

According to the 2026 Trust & Will Estate Planning Report:

• 56% of U.S. adults have no estate planning documents, including no will, trust, healthcare directive, financial power of attorney, or HIPAA authorization.

• 73% of Americans say estate planning is personally important, revealing a significant gap between intention and action.

• Among people who already have a will or trust, 14% have never updated their documents, and 13% review them only once every ten years or less.

• 42% of Americans say they would not know what to do if a family member died today.

  
  

These findings highlight two common challenges. Many families have not created an estate plan, and many existing plans no longer reflect current family relationships, financial circumstances, or personal wishes. Regular reviews every three to five years, along with updates after major life events, help keep an estate plan accurate and useful when it is needed.

Keep Your Information Current

Your estate plan includes more than signed documents.

Your loved ones may also need access to:

• Financial accounts

• Insurance policies

• Retirement accounts

• Property records

• Passwords

• Digital assets

• Important contacts

• Personal wishes

• Funeral preferences

Keeping this information organized helps your executor locate what they need quickly and gives your family clear direction during an emotional time.

Create an Annual Habit

Choose one day each year to review your estate information.

Many families tie this review to:

• Tax season

• A birthday

• Their wedding anniversary

• The beginning of a new year

During your review, ask yourself:

• Have I opened or closed any accounts?

• Have I bought or sold property?

• Have my beneficiaries changed?

• Have I created new online accounts?

• Does my family know where my important information is stored?

• Would someone be able to find what they need if something happened tomorrow?

A consistent annual review keeps your information accurate and makes future updates much easier.

A Plan Your Family Can Follow

Estate planning creates a roadmap for the people you love.

Current legal documents communicate your wishes. Organized records help your family locate important information. Together, they provide guidance during one of life's most difficult seasons.

Review your estate plan every three to five years, revisit it after major milestones, and keep your important information organized along the way. Each update strengthens the plan you've created and helps your loved ones move forward with confidence.

Keep Everything Together

End of an Era helps you organize the information your loved ones may need in the future—from estate planning documents and financial accounts to insurance policies, digital assets, important contacts, and personal wishes.

A few minutes of organization today can save your family hours of searching tomorrow and provide clarity when they need it most.