How Often Should an Estate Plan Be Reviewed?

Most people treat estate planning like a one‑and‑done chore. You sign the papers, stash them somewhere safe, and then forget about them. The truth is, though, an estate plan is less like a time capsule and more like a living roadmap for your family’s future. If life keeps changing (and it always does), your estate plan needs a chance to keep up.

When does an estate plan need to be revisited?

A good rule of thumb is to give your estate plan a checkup every three to five years, even if everything seems calm on the surface. That timeline helps you catch slow, gradual changes in your finances, relationships, or goals that might not feel urgent day to day but can make a big difference down the road.

It can also help to think in terms of two types of reviews:

• A quick “annual glance” to make sure your key people and beneficiaries still make sense.
• A deeper review with an estate planning attorney every few years to look at tax issues, asset protection, and any major legal changes that might affect your plan.

If you can't remember the last time you looked at your will, trust, or powers of attorney, that alone is usually a sign it is time.

What life events should trigger an immediate estate plan review?

Life rarely sticks to a set schedule, which is why certain events should send your estate plan straight back to the top of the to‑do list. Any time your family, finances, or home base changes in a big way, your documents deserve another look.

Common triggers include:

• Major family changes: This includes marriage, divorce, remarriage, the birth or adoption of a child or grandchild, or the death or incapacity of someone named in your plan.
• Financial shifts: This includes selling a business, starting a new one, receiving an inheritance, buying or selling real estate, or experiencing a significant increase or decrease in your net worth.
• Legal and location changes: This includes moving to another state, new tax or estate laws, or reaching a milestone birthday when different planning tools become more important.

After any of these changes, it's important to revisit your will or trust, beneficiary designations, and powers of attorney so they reflect your current reality, not how things looked five or ten years ago.

What should you look at when you review your estate plan?

When you sit down with your plan, you're not just flipping through paperwork; you're checking whether the pieces still work together to protect the people and causes that matter most to you. A thoughtful review focuses on both the documents themselves and the people named in them.

Start with the core documents:

• Will and any trusts
• Financial power of attorney
• Health care power of attorney and living will or advance directive
• Beneficiary designations on life insurance, retirement accounts, and payable‑on‑death accounts

Then ask yourself questions like:

• Do the people you have named as personal representative, trustee, guardian, or agents still make sense?
• Are your gifts and distributions still what you want, especially for minor children, blended families, or loved ones with special needs?
• Do your documents address newer issues, such as digital assets, online accounts, or updated tax rules?

A short meeting with an estate planning attorney can help you spot gaps you might otherwise overlook, such as outdated tax planning, conflicting beneficiary designations, or provisions that no longer line up with current law.

What happens if you let your estate plan get out of date?

Letting an estate plan sit unchanged for years is a little like leaving your GPS locked on an old address. You might still get somewhere, but it may not be where you intended. The risk isn't just inconvenience; it is real cost, conflict, and stress for the people you leave behind.

When an estate plan goes stale, families can run into problems such as:

• Assets going to an ex‑spouse or estranged relative because beneficiary forms were never updated.
• Children or grandchildren being left out or treated unequally simply because documents pre‑date their arrival.
• Increased taxes, delays in probate, or even full‑blown litigation when outdated documents conflict with current law or with each other.

Waiting too long can also mean trying to update documents during a health crisis, which raises questions about capacity and can invite challenges later. A periodic review (on a schedule and after major life events) doesn't just tidy up paperwork; it gives your family clearer guidance, fewer surprises, and a much smoother path during a difficult time.

Contact an Arizona estate planning attorney today

If your estate plan feels outdated, incomplete, or scattered across old binders and accounts, The Law Firm of Brown & Jensen can help you bring everything into focus and under control. Whether you need a straightforward review or help piecing together wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and beneficiary designations, our experienced Arizona estate planning attorneys will walk you through every step in clear, confident terms. This is about protecting your family, preserving your legacy, and making sure your wishes are honored when it matters most.

When you schedule a free consultation with us, you get a strategic, attorney-led review of your full estate picture. We identify gaps, conflicts, and outdated language, explain your options in plain English, and recommend tailored updates that match your current goals, assets, and relationships. Whether you’re starting with a patchwork of older documents or no plan at all, our team can help you build a cohesive, legally sound estate plan that works in real life.

To get started, contact us to request your free consultation, and our team will help you schedule a time that works for you at one of our convenient Arizona offices. We proudly serve individuals and families in Mesa, Tucson, Scottsdale, Chandler, Peoria, Goodyear, Payson, and Show Low, and can help ensure your planning aligns with Arizona’s current estate and probate laws.

"He met with me at a date, time, and location that was convenient for me, as well as having the expertise that I needed... I recommended this attorney to a friend." ─ Kimberly, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐