Before the Year Ends: The Estate‑Planning Checklist you need if You’ve Never Laid the Foundation

The holidays are coming. The year is winding down.
And while the rest of the world talks about cooking, travel, and shopping… there’s one conversation most people keep pushing off: what happens to you and everything you care about when you’re no longer able to handle it yourself.

If you’ve never created a full estate plan — or if you had one done but it’s still sitting untouched in a drawer — now is exactly the moment to act. Because a plan on paper may look complete. But if it’s not connected to action, access, and clarity, it might not help when it needs to.

Here’s a focused checklist for those who are starting from scratch — or starting over — so you can step into the new year with power, purpose, and protection.

1. Decide: Will you commit to starting a plan this year?

Yes, you.
No more “some day.”
Pick a date before December 31. Set an appointment. Clear a 90‑minute block and show up for your future self.

Because every day you wait, your legacy becomes more chance than choice.

2. Gather your “must‑know” list

Before we draft anything:

• Names and contact info for your decision‑makers (financial agent, healthcare agent, trustee, executor)

• Current assets and how ownership is titled

• A summary of your goals: who you love, why you’re building, what you want to protect

  You don’t need details yet — just the building blocks.

3. Create the legal foundation (if it doesn’t exist) or check what you have

If you don’t have:

• A will or trust

• Powers of attorney (financial + healthcare)

• A healthcare directive or living will
  …then now is the time to act.

If you do have some of these, ask:

• Are the names current?

• Are the documents stored safely (and accessibly)?

• Have any life changes occurred (marriage, divorce, job change, major asset change)?

4. Title and fund it correctly

Here’s where so many plans fail quietly: the documents exist, but the assets haven’t been connected.
If your trust sits empty, or your accounts are still in your name alone, probate may still apply.
Schedule this step now — especially if you own real estate, accounts, or business interests.

5. Decide and communicate your wishes

This is the soul of the work.
What do you stand for? What kind of life do you want lived when you can’t lead it yourself?
Have the conversation (or plan to) with at least one loved one:

• Your vision for aging or health care

• How you want to be remembered

• Who should take over when you’re not able
  This isn’t easy — but it’s one of the most powerful things you’ll ever do.

6. Set up automated reviews and accountability

Your plan isn’t “done” once signed. It’s alive.
Block time now to review it every 18‑24 months or after a major event.
And place a recurring reminder: reassess, retitle, check beneficiaries, talk again.
Because a plan that reflects last year’s you may not serve this year’s you.

7. Take action by Scheduling your custom planning session with us

You don’t need five more months of “thinking about it.”

• Schedule your Life & Legacy Planning Session now or

• Request a plan review (if you have a plan but it might be dormant);

Start before the year ends. Because peace, clarity, and freedom don’t wait for tomorrow.

Conclusion:

Your life isn’t just about what you’ve built.
It’s about who you are.
What you value.
And how you’re remembered.

If no plan exists… we’ll build one together.
If one exists but hasn’t been touched… we’ll revive it, align it, and activate it for you.

Because your legacy deserves more than to “sit on a shelf.”
It deserves to live.