I often receive calls from people asking if I can take a “quick look” at their estate planning documents.
Maybe they created their plan online and just want to make sure it’s valid.
Maybe they moved to a new state and want to confirm everything still works.
Maybe their documents are a few years old and they simply want reassurance.
Most people hope for a simple yes-or-no answer during a short phone call.
The truth is this: a proper estate plan review is never quick.
What seems like a simple request actually involves legal, financial, and practical analysis. If you truly want to know whether your plan will work when your loved ones need it, it requires time and careful attention.
Let me explain why.
Estate Planning Is More Than Just Documents
When you ask an attorney to review your estate plan, you are really asking several important questions:
- Are my documents legally valid?
- Do they reflect current law?
- Will they actually work the way I think they will?
- Are there gaps I don’t see?
- Are my assets properly coordinated with my plan?
Each of these questions requires detailed analysis. Skipping any of them can create serious problems later – when it is too late to fix them.
Step One: Are Your Documents Legally Valid Today?
Laws change. State laws change. Tax laws change.
If you created your documents years ago, they may not comply with current requirements. If you moved to another state, your documents may need adjustments.
For example:
- Some financial institutions refuse to honor older powers of attorney.
- Certain states have different witnessing or notarization requirements.
- Tax law changes may affect trust provisions.
A proper review requires examining your documents under current law in your jurisdiction.
That alone takes time.
Step Two: Does Your Plan Actually Do What You Think It Does?
Many people believe they have a “complete estate plan” because they have a will or trust in a binder.
But documents alone do not equal a complete plan.
A thorough review must consider:
- What happens if a beneficiary dies before you?
- Are minor children protected from receiving large sums too early?
- Does your plan address incapacity, not just death?
- Will your loved ones know where to find your assets?
- Are passwords and digital accounts accessible?
- Is there enough insurance to protect your family?
- Will someone have access to funds immediately to pay bills?
These are just a few examples. Most people are surprised by how many gaps exist.
Step Three: Do Your Documents Work Together?
It is common for documents to conflict.
I have seen situations where:
- A will says one thing
- A trust says another
- Beneficiary designations say something entirely different
When documents contradict each other, families end up in court. A judge – who does not know you – decides what you “must have meant.”
That process is expensive, time-consuming, and emotionally draining for your loved ones.
A proper review looks at the entire plan as a coordinated system.
The Biggest Problem: Trust Funding
Here is the issue that surprises almost everyone:
If you created a trust but never transferred assets into it, the trust may not work.
We call this “funding” the trust.
Funding means:
- Changing title on bank accounts
- Deeding real estate into the trust
- Updating investment accounts
- Coordinating beneficiary designations
I have seen beautifully drafted trusts completely fail because assets were never properly transferred.
Even worse, many people do not realize that new assets purchased after the trust was created also need to be titled properly.
Reviewing funding requires:
- Examining deeds
- Reviewing account statements
- Confirming beneficiary designations
- Looking at business ownership documents
This cannot be done in five minutes.
Why Attorneys Cannot Do “Quick Reviews”
When someone asks for a quick review, they are asking for legal advice based on incomplete information.
As an attorney, I cannot responsibly do that.
If I tell you everything looks fine after a brief glance, and your plan later fails, your family suffers – and I may have created liability for both of us.
Professional responsibility requires either:
- A thorough review
- Or declining to review the documents at all
There is no safe middle ground.
What a Real Review Involves
A comprehensive review typically includes:
- A full inventory of your assets
- A review of all estate planning documents
- Analysis of trust funding
- Review of beneficiary designations
- Discussion of family dynamics
- Evaluation of tax exposure
- Assessment of incapacity planning
You should expect to complete a questionnaire or provide financial information in advance. I will spend time preparing before we meet. After reviewing your documents and financial picture, I will provide clear recommendations.
If updates are needed, there may be additional costs.
Why the Investment Is Worth It
A proper review may feel like more than you expected to spend.
But compare that to:
- Probate costs
- Litigation between family members
- Delays in accessing funds
- Lost assets
- Court involvement during incapacity
The financial and emotional cost of a failed estate plan is far greater than the cost of reviewing it properly while you are alive and able to make changes.
The Bottom Line
A comprehensive estate plan review is not about paperwork.
It is about protecting your loved ones from:
- Court
- Conflict
- Confusion
- Financial loss
When done correctly, a review provides peace of mind. You know your plan works. You know your assets are properly aligned. You know your family will be supported.
If you are unsure whether your current plan is complete, coordinated, and properly funded, the right next step is a thoughtful, thorough review – not a quick glance.
Protecting the people you love deserves more than a shortcut.
At Cheever Law, APC, we don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death for yourself and the people you love, starting with a valuable and educational Life & Legacy Planning Session. The Life & Legacy Planning Session will allow you to get more financially organized and make the best choices for the people you love. If you have already completed your estate plan, we will review that plan at your Life & Legacy Planning Session to ensure that it will work the way you intend and address any holes or gaps that may be present if circumstances have changed since you executed your plan.
To learn more about our one-of-a-kind systems and services, contact us or schedule a 15-minute introductory call today. you love means planning with clarity – not guesswork.