Making Sure Your Estate Continues to Meet Your Needs

— Mary Anne Vance, Attorney at Law


You craft an estate plan to ensure that your loved ones will be taken care of after your death, and so that your property will be distributed as you wish. Your plan can also assure that you and your property will be protected if you become disabled. But life doesn’t stand still and your circumstances might change -- you may have more children or grandchildren, acquire more assets, or have a falling out with friends; your children will mature or you and your spouse may separate. The law may even change, making your estate plan obsolete or even counter-productive. Life changes may require that you change your estate plan. We recommend you review your estate planning documents at least once a year to ensure everything is acceptable. Pick a certain day, like your birthday, the Fourth of July, or some other memorable date to help remind you.

Your estate planning documents include your Will, your Financial and Medical Power of Attorney, your Health Care Directive (“Living Will”), and the new Disposition of Remains Instructions, which deals with funeral and burial arrangements. You will also want to update your inventory of assets, retirement accounts, insurance policies, annuities, savings plans, trusts, “in trust for” bank accounts, and joint tenancy and “pay on death” bank accounts. Remember, the beneficiary you specify on life insurance, pension plans, or annuities will receive that asset at your death. Your Will does not supersede these designations.

You can change your Will any time before your death if you are competent. All written changes to your Will must be witnessed just like a Will, using two witnesses, a notary, and your full signature.

If you think it might be time to update your Will, it probably is. If you have questions, please call me and schedule an appointment. The Estate Planning section of this web site lists Frequently Asked Questions to find helpful information and feel free to download our comprehensive Estate Planning Questionnaire from the home page.

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Contact me if you have specific questions or would like to schedule an appointment.

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Seattle, WA Estate & Trust Lawyers

Mary Anne Vance
Reed Longyear Malnati Corwin & Burnett
801 2nd Avenue, Suite 1415
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 624-6271

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