Like many Americans, you may have been diligent about creating and executing an estate plan to protect you and your loved ones in the event of your passing or incapacity. Equally important, however, is the need to keep up with the maintenance for your estate plan. Ideally, you will meet with your California estate planning attorney every one to three years for a review. You should also proactively meet with your attorney following certain life events. This includes following a move out of state.
Why is it important to modify your estate plan in California following a move from another state? The following are five simple reasons:
- Every state has different laws. The laws surrounding the execution of wills and trusts may be vastly different in California than in your previous home state.
- Having estate documents that list your current state of residence and appoint fiduciaries who also live in your new state can make the administration process run more smoothly.
- Updating your estate plan to reflect a change in your life circumstances, such as a move to a new state, can often trigger you to make additional changes to your estate documents as well.
- Many states have different state estate tax or inheritance tax laws. Your old plan may not be the most fiscally sound in your new state.
- Many states have their own unique statutes for the creation of advanced health care directives and durable powers of attorney. The forms that you used in your old state may not be in conformance with the statutes of your new state.
Following a move from another state, it is important to modify your estate plan. View here for more from an Anaheim estate planning attorney. Keeping your estate documents current is essential to the overall success of the plan. For more information about modifying your estate plan, view our free pamphlet, The Ten Things You Must Know Before Creating (or Amending) Your Will or Trust. Our office of experienced Anaheim estate planning attorneys can guide you through this process. Call our office today at (714) 282-7488 for a consultation.