Estate Planning is an Act of Financial Care
Originally published July 25, 2025
A few months ago, my mother-in-law passed away. While we were in Ohio to join my husband’s siblings and extended family in a celebration of her life, two things came up for me.
First, listening to stories about the impact Carol made on her community reminded me that I want to live life with my personal legacy in mind. When my community, my family and my kids remember me, what will they remember? Hopefully it will be my warm hugs and love of car trip sing-alongs.
Secondly, I don’t want my legacy to include conflicts over my assets. Did I mention Carol had six children, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren? Lucky for all of us, Carol had an estate plan in place that will make it easier to distribute her assets and follow her wishes without causing fights among family. Read on for my thoughts on how to keep your estate plan clear and intentional.
Kacie Swartz
Managing Partner
Estate planning is a process that can sometimes get delayed because although it is important, it may not feel urgent.
And like so many elements of financial planning, it can feel overwhelming before you get started. But it definitely shouldn’t feel like a pile of documents you’re pressured to sign without understanding what’s happening.
When I work with my clients on their financial plans, we treat estate planning as part of the bigger picture: a way to care for the people and priorities that matter most. Combining the skills of a financial planner and an estate attorney helps make the process clearer, calmer, and more aligned with your long-term goals.
The passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) did away with the sunset clause of the current estate tax exemption and increased the exemption to $15 million per individual and $30 million per married couple starting January 2026. Future years will be adjusted for inflation. For clients with significant wealth, the change presents an opportunity to make the most of lifetime gifting strategies and thoughtful post-mortem planning.
For families with assets below the threshold, it’s just as important to review documents and ensure your plans aren’t more complex than they need to be, especially if that complexity was aimed at avoiding taxes that no longer apply. For example, maybe your estate plan involved the creation of testamentary trusts to avoid taxes. Those trusts may not be necessary now and you may benefit from a simpler plan.
If you're getting ready to meet with an estate planning professional, here’s a simple checklist to help you prepare:
Your Estate Planning Prep Checklist
If you have minor children, the MOST IMPORTANT thing is to think through the people you want as guardians of those minor children.
Assemble a list of your assets and major accounts.
Confirm you have named beneficiaries on retirement accounts and insurance.
Think through the people you may want as power of attorney and medical proxy.
Note any charitable goals or legacy wishes.
List anyone you support - financially or otherwise.
Flag any complex assets (like equity compensation or real estate).
Jot down what matters to you most about your legacy.
If you have tuned in to our recent webinars, you heard Sara quote Warren Buffett: "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago."
Leaving an organized estate plan is like planting that tree. It’s an act of care extended beyond your own life. If this feels like a good time to revisit your estate plan (or finally get one in place) I'm here to walk through it with you. Your legacy and your loved ones are worth it.
p.s. We recently discussed this topic at the Austin Women’s Investing Group. Check out the recording where Carlotta Garza-Kilcullen, estate planning attorney, gives an excellent determination of when you can DIY this stuff vs. when the situation is complex enough to phone for help.