I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable holiday.
If you have made resolutions for 2026, you’re in good company. Did you know the notion of making resolutions at the start of a new year dates back to 2000 B.C.? The Babylonians celebrated the new year with a 12-day springtime festival called Akitu. Celebration activities included crowning a new king, thanking deities for a bountiful harvest, and, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, resolving to return neighbors’ borrowed agricultural equipment. (Should you check your garage now for gardening tools you borrowed from your neighbor?)
One activity I know you’ll be undertaking in this new year, albeit not in a celebratory fashion, will be getting your financial affairs in order for the upcoming tax season. I like to remind my clients that while you’re organizing your files, digging out paperwork, and tracking down receipts, it is the ideal time to review your estate plan documents. It makes sense, and it is easier to accomplish when you’re already “in the zone. At a minimum, I recommend you check the following:
- Have you had any major life changes since your estate plan was last updated? (Marriage, divorce, new baby, significant asset inheritance, or death of a beneficiary.)
- Have you experienced any changes in your relationships with named executors, beneficiaries, or agents? (Maybe they have moved out of the area or, sadly, perhaps you are now estranged from one another.)
- Have you had any change of heart regarding your end-of-life wishes? (For example, your feelings about artificial life support or your funeral arrangements?)
A review of the above won’t take long, but could save you and your loved ones a lot of trouble in the future. If you find anything that needs to be updated, don’t hesitate. Give me a call, and we’ll update your plan.
I wish you all the best in 2026!
Best regards,
David
David