In New York, estate planning is an important process that helps ensure your estate gets handled according to your wishes after you die. However, making mistakes during estate planning can lead to complications and problems down the road.
Not updating your will
One of the most common estate planning mistakes is not updating your will. You should review your estate plan and update it regularly, especially as your life changes. If you don’t update your will, it may no longer reflect your wishes after you die.
Choosing the wrong executor
Your executor is responsible for carrying out your wishes after you die, so it’s important to choose someone you trust to handle everything properly. Ideally, your executor should be organized, responsible and familiar with estate planning and administration. If you choose the wrong executor, it could lead to problems down the road.
Not planning for incapacity
If you become incapacitated and can’t make decisions about your own health care or finances, it can be a challenge for your loved ones to step in and take care of everything. Estate planning can help avoid this problem by laying out your wishes ahead of time. If you don’t plan for incapacity, it could lead to family conflict and confusion.
Not considering taxes
When estate planning, it’s important to consider how estate taxes will impact your estate. Depending on the size of your estate, you may need to take steps to minimize the amount of taxes. If you don’t take taxes into account, it could lead to a larger estate tax bill than necessary.
If you take the time to plan and avoid these common estate planning mistakes, you’ll be able to rest assured that your estate will get handled according to your wishes after you die. It’s also a great way to ensure that your heirs don’t run into any problems or conflicts when you’re gone.
