The Holiday Season as a Gentle Nudge Toward Estate Planning
The holiday season has a way of slowing time down—at least a little. Even when our calendars are packed, we tend to find quiet moments between gatherings, travel days, and year-end wrap-ups. Those moments often bring reflection: Who has been part of my life this year? What changed? What mattered most? What do I want the next year to look like?
That kind of reflection isn’t only personal—it can be practical. It can help you create an estate plan for the first time, or update an existing plan so it better matches your life today.
An “estate plan” is simply a set of legal documents that explains (1) who will make decisions for you if you can’t, and (2) what should happen to your assets and responsibilities when you pass away. For many families, the core documents include a trust (or a will), powers of attorney (for financial and legal matters), and an advance health care directive (for medical decisions). If you already have these documents, reflection can help you decide whether they still fit.
How holiday reflection can clarify your estate planning goals
Here are a few concrete ways that seasonal reflection can turn into better estate planning decisions.
1. Noticing what has changed since your plan was signed
A lot can change in a year or two: a new child or grandchild, a marriage or divorce, a move, a new business, a major inheritance, a home purchase, or a shift in financial priorities. Even changes that feel “non-legal,” like a loved one’s health challenges or a new caregiving role, can affect who should serve in important roles.
Reflection helps you spot those changes—so your plan doesn’t quietly drift out of date.
2. Re-centering on people, relationships, and responsibilities
Holidays often bring family dynamics into clearer focus. That’s not always easy—but it’s useful information. Estate planning requires you to choose people for key roles, such as:
Successor trustee (the person who manages a trust when you can’t)
Executor (the person who carries out a will)
Agent under power of attorney (the person who can handle financial/legal matters for you)
Health care agent (the person who can make medical decisions if you cannot)
Guardians for minor children
Reflection can help you ask: Who is steady under pressure? Who is organized? Who knows my values? Who is nearby (or willing to travel)? Sometimes the best choice is not the closest relative—it’s the person most suited to the job.
3. Identifying the causes and communities you want to support
Many people feel more charitable at this time of year, and that can lead to meaningful estate planning choices. If you have causes that matter to you—schools, faith communities, medical research, the arts, or local organizations—this is a natural moment to consider whether you want to include charitable giving in your plan.
That doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as a percentage gift, a specific dollar amount, or naming a charity as a beneficiary of a retirement account.
4. Creating clarity to reduce stress for loved ones
When families gather, we’re reminded that life is both joyful and fragile. One of the greatest gifts an estate plan provides is clarity—especially during difficult seasons. Reflection often motivates people to address the things that loved ones would otherwise have to guess about, like:
What medical care you would want in a serious situation
Who should handle decisions if you’re incapacitated
How you want personal items distributed
Whether you have digital assets (photos, accounts, subscriptions) that need instructions
Even small updates can make a big difference.
Practical reflection exercises that can lead to real action
If you want to turn reflection into forward movement, try one or two of these:
Make a “people and causes” list. Write down the individuals you feel responsible for (children, aging parents, a sibling who needs support) and the causes you care about. Estate planning becomes clearer when you see it in one place.
Do a 30-minute document check. Pull out your existing estate planning documents and ask: Do these names still make sense? Are the addresses current? Has anything major changed since I signed? If you can’t find your documents, that’s a helpful discovery too.
Inventory what you own. You don’t need perfect numbers. A simple list—home, bank accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance, business interests—helps you and your attorney see the full picture.
Have one calm conversation. Not a big “family meeting,” just a straightforward check-in with the person you’d want making decisions. The goal isn’t to share every detail—it’s to confirm willingness and make sure they understand your general wishes.
Adding guidance to an existing estate plan
Sometimes you don’t need a full overhaul. Reflection may reveal that what you really want is better guidance for the people who will step in later. Depending on your situation, you may be able to add or update:
A letter of instruction (non-legal guidance about practical details, preferences, and personal messages)
Notes about caregiving or special family circumstances
A plan for personal property (family heirlooms, sentimental items)
Instructions for digital assets and online accounts
Updated beneficiary designations (often overlooked, but very important)
If you’re unsure what can be updated informally versus what requires legal changes, that’s exactly what an estate planning review is for.
A note from Shafae Law: our final post of 2025
This will be our last blog post for the remainder of 2025. We’ll be taking a short break from publishing as the year comes to a close, and we look forward to sharing new content in 2026.
In the meantime, if this season of reflection is nudging you to create an estate plan—or revisit one you already have—we’re here to help. A thoughtful plan is one of the most caring things you can do for the people you love.
From all of us at Shafae Law, we wish you a warm holiday season and a happy, healthy, and fruitful new year.