Best Time to Update Your Estate Plan in Texas: Age and Life Events Checklist

You should update your estate plan any time a major life event affects your family, your assets, or your wishes, and revisit it periodically even without a major change. An outdated will or power of attorney may not reflect who you actually want to make decisions or receive assets, which can create confusion or disputes down the road.

The bottom line: Review your estate plan after any major life change, and revisit it at a minimum of every three to five years, even if nothing significant has happened.

Life Events That Should Trigger a Review

Certain moments in life almost always call for an update to your existing estate planning documents. These include:

• Getting married or divorced
• Having or adopting a child
• The death of a spouse, beneficiary, or named executor
• Buying or selling significant property
• Starting or closing a business
• Moving to Texas from another state
• A major change in your health or a new diagnosis

Any one of these events can affect who should inherit your assets, who should manage your affairs if you become incapacitated, or how your existing plan should be structured.

Age Milestones Worth Reviewing Your Plan Around

Beyond specific life events, certain ages are a natural checkpoint to make sure your estate plan still reflects your wishes:

• Turning 18: If your child is turning 18, they now need their own basic documents, such as a healthcare power of attorney, since you lose automatic legal authority to make decisions for them once they’re an adult.
• Turning 50 or 60: A good time to revisit beneficiary designations and confirm your named agents are still willing and able to serve.
• Turning 65 or older: Consider whether your plan addresses long-term care, Medicaid planning, or a shift in who should hold financial power of attorney.

Why Moving to Texas Matters

If you created your estate plan in another state, Texas has its own requirements for wills and powers of attorney, and it also follows community property rules (meaning most assets acquired during marriage are jointly owned), which may not align with your existing documents. A plan drafted elsewhere may not be enforceable here as you expect, so a Texas-specific review is worth doing soon after you relocate.

What Happens if You Do Not Update Your Plan?

An outdated estate plan does not simply become invalid. Instead, it stays in effect exactly as written, even if it no longer reflects your current family situation or wishes. An outdated plan can mean a former spouse remains listed as a beneficiary, or a deceased executor is still named to handle your estate, creating unnecessary delays and complications for your loved ones.

Regular reviews of your estate plan and updates after any major change help make sure your documents say what you actually want them to say.

Ready to Update Your Estate Plan?

If it has been a while since you looked at your estate plan, our team at Owens Law Firm is here to help you review it and make sure it still fits your life. Call us today at 210-695-5110 or contact us online for a free consultation.