Many of us work hard and save funds to acquire valuables or other keepsakes. These items can be art, furniture, jewelry, writing instruments, purses, clothing and so many other items that are valuable in the eyes of the beholder. These items may have been gifted to you by a family member and they typically deliver a tremendous amount of satisfaction.

A few months ago, I was with a client and his health was failing. I asked him how long how it had been since he reviewed his estate plan. He said, “Oh a few years ago and it’s all good.” I asked if we could call his estate attorney to check in and he accepted the invitation. It turned out his estate plan was not up to date, it had several gaps, and critical pieces of information were missing.