Spring Cleaning: Estate Planning Edition
The sun is staying out longer, the flowers are starting to peek through, and that ‘to-do’ list on the fridge is finally getting some attention. While most people associate spring cleaning with scrubbing baseboards or clearing out the garage, there is one area of your life that deserves a season refresh as much, if not more than any other: your estate plan.
At Lubnau Law, we know that the biggest hurdle to effective estate planning isn’t usually a lack of intent- it’s a lack of organization. You don’t need to be a legal expert to get your house in order.
Here are four simple organizational tasks you can do this month to set yourself up for success.
1. The ‘Document Scavenger Hunt’
Before you can plan for the future, you need to know where your ‘now’ is located. Gather your essential documents into one central, secure location. If your family had to find these tomorrow, would they be in one filing cabinet or scattered across many different drawers and locations?
Your checklist:
- Identification: passports, birth certificates, and social security cards
- Property deeds: evidence of real estate ownership and titles for vehicles or boats
- Current estate documents: any existing Wills, Trusts, or Powers of Attorney (even if they are outdated)
2. The Beneficiary Audit
Life moves fast. Marriages, births, and passings can make a beneficiary designation from five years ago completely obsolete. Many people forget that beneficiary designations on specific accounts can often override what may be written in a will.
Take thirty minutes to log into your portals and verify the ‘transfer on death’ (TOD) or ‘payable on death’ (POD) recipients for:
- Life insurance policies
- 401(k) and IRA accounts
- Standard bank accounts
3. Consolidate Your Contact List
If something happens to you, your loved ones shouldn’t have to play private investigators to find your advisors. Create a simple one-page directory of the professionals who handle your affairs, including your attorney, accountant/CPA, financial advisor, insurance agent, etc.
4. Digitizing the ‘Paper Trail’
In 2026, a physical filing cabinet is only half the battle. Your digital records are just as important
- Create a master list: note where your digital assets live (e.g., crypto wallets, cloud storage, or even sentimental photo/video storage).
- Emergency access: consider using a secure password manager that allows for emergency access by a trusted family member.
- All Lubnau Law clients get a free DocuBank one-year membership, which will help organize all of this critical information digitally.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of done. Even if you don’t have every single receipt or statement, simply grouping your major deeds and titles puts you ahead of the curve.
When you walk into our office with organized records, you aren’t just saving yourself time- you’re saving money and ensuring clarity on your assets and wishes. Think of this spring-cleaning season as a gift to your future self and your heirs!
Need help? Lubnau Law is here for you! Want to set up an estate planning consultation? Let’s get started- (307) 682-1313.