You Have an Estate Plan. Now What?

      You have signed your estate planning documents. You may have a binder, electronic copies, and the satisfaction of checking “estate planning” off your list.

But signing your documents is not the end of the process. It is the first step in putting your plan into action.

     An estate plan works best when the people you have chosen understand their roles and know where to find the information they may need.

Make Sure the Right People Know
     If you have named a trustee, personal representative, guardian, or agent under a power of attorney, consider giving that person the relevant document and discussing the role in advance.
      For a medical agent, this conversation can be especially important. Your agent should not have to guess what you would have wanted in a difficult situation.
   Make sure those who may need to act also know where your original documents are kept. Some documents, including an original will, may need to be produced when needed.

Follow Through on Trust Funding and Property Details
     If you have created a trust, confirm that the assets intended for the trust have been transferred to it or otherwise coordinated with it. This helps ensure your estate plan functions as intended.
     Real estate deserves particular attention. If property is part of your trust plan, confirm that the relevant deeds, insurance, and related records are consistent with that plan.

Make Your Powers of Attorney Usable When They Are Needed
     Powers of attorney are most useful when the people and institutions who may rely on them know they exist and can access them when needed.  Consider sharing copies with your chosen agents and appropriate financial or medical providers to help reduce delays in an emergency.
  It can also help to keep important financial, insurance, digital account, and contact information organized and accessible to a trusted person.

Keep Your Plan Current
     Your estate plan should reflect your life as it exists today—not simply the life you had when the documents were signed. Review your plan every few years and sooner after a significant change in your assets, relationships, or location. Marriage, divorce, birth, death, relocation, a major change in assets, or a change in your wishes may all warrant an update.

The Goal Is More Than a Set of Documents
     Estate planning is not simply about having a will, trust, or power of attorney in a binder. It is about creating a plan your family that chosen decision-makers can follow when it matters.

     After signing your documents, take the next steps: communicate your plan, complete the practical follow-up, and make sure the people you have chosen are prepared to carry it out.
This is what turns estate planning documents into a working estate plan.