If you begin the legacy planning process when you are young, you can make smart plans for saving and investing so you have a nest egg that you can leave behind for your loved ones and for charities.

You can use asset protection tools to protect your growing wealth so it is not at risk of loss due to things like nursing home care expenses or lawsuits. You can build a business, which can pass on to the next generation, or you can keep your family farmland safe so it can stay in the family.

While it is never too late to start legacy planning, as long as you are still of sound mind, there is no reason to wait… especially since there is no guarantee of how much time you will have left to shape your family’s future.

The process of legacy planning is going to be personal to everyone, but it is something that you should think about so you can build your legacy over the course of your life. The best way to create a legacy is to work with an experienced attorney who can help you to define your goals and make the choices  necessary to achieve them. 

Has it been more than 3 years since you reviewed your current estate plan?

If you have minor children, does your estate plan name Guardians for them?

Since creating your estate plan, are your children now adults?

If you have a Trust, are there any assets that you have not transferred into your Trust?

If you become disabled, is your Power of Attorney document for financial decisions older than 5 years?

If you become disabled, is your Power of Attorney document for health care decisions older than 5 years?

Are there any gifts you would like to make to charities at your death that have not been clearly set forth in your planning documents?

Is there any personal property that you would like distributed that have not been clearly set forth in your planning documents, including the care of any surviving pets?

Since you signed your planning documents, have you changed your mind about any aspect of the plan?

Has the value of your assets changed since you signed your planning documents?

Have you added or changed the kind of assets you own since your planning documents were signed?

Have you recently been married, divorced or widowed since your estate planning documents were signed?

Have you had children since your estate planning documents were signed?

Have your children had children?

Have any of your children been married, divorced or died since your planning documents were signed?

Have you, your spouse or child become physically or mentally incapacitated since your planning documents were signed?

Have you bought or sold a house or other piece of property since your planning documents were signed?

Are you contemplating selling stock or other valuable assets with a low cost basis?

Have you moved between states since your planning documents were signed?

If you have a Living Trust, are Medicaid triggers in place to ensure that at the appropriate time Medicaid planning can be implemented?