A will or trust is not a one-time project. How often should you update your estate plan in Naples depends on your life, your assets, and the law, and most plans need attention more often than people expect.
A good rule is to review your plan every three to five years, and sooner after a major life event. An outdated plan can leave assets to the wrong person or leave the wrong person in charge.
How Often Should You Update Your Estate Plan in Naples? The Short Answer
There is no legal deadline, but there are two triggers: time and change. Time means a routine check-up. Change means an event that alters who you love, what you own, or where you live.
1. Time-Based Reviews
Even if nothing changes, laws, family circumstances, and your own wishes shift over time. Schedule a review every three to five years so small gaps do not become big problems.
2. Event-Based Reviews
Certain events should trigger an immediate review. The table below shows what to check after each one.
| Life Event | Condo |
|---|---|
| Marriage | Beneficiaries, trustees, and who inherits |
| Divorce | Will, trust, beneficiary forms, and powers of attorney |
| Birth or Adoption | Guardians, trust shares, and healthcare directives |
| Death of a beneficiary or fiduciary | Successor choices and distribution plans |
| Moving to Florida | Out-of-state documents, homestead, and trust funding |
| Buying or selling property | Titles, trust funding, and beneficiary plans |
| Major change in wealth | Tax planning and asset protection |
These are the most common triggers, but any event that changes your family or finances deserves a second look.
Florida Rules That Make Updates Matter
A few Florida rules show why an old plan can backfire:
- Divorce: Florida voids will and revocable trust provisions that favor a former spouse, but federal retirement plans and other documents may not follow those rules. Do not rely on the statute alone.
- Homestead: Florida limits who can inherit your home if you leave a spouse or minor children, so a plan written elsewhere may not work here.
- Trust funding: a trust only controls assets that are titled in its name, so a new home or account can fall outside your plan.
- Estate tax: Florida has no state estate tax, and the 2026 federal exemption is $15 million per person, but changes in either can affect large estates.
Each of these is easy to miss without a periodic review.
What to Check During an Estate Plan Review
A thorough review looks at the whole plan, not just the will:
| Document | Key Question |
|---|---|
| Will | Does it name the right heirs and personal representative? |
| Revocable Trust | Are the right assets titled in the trust, and are trustees current? |
| Power of attorney | Is the agent still the person you trust? |
| Healthcare directives | Do they reflect your current wishes? |
| Beneficiary forms | Do they match your plan? |
| Guardian choices | Are they still suitable for your children? |
Walking through this list takes less time than fixing a plan after something goes wrong.
Signs Your Estate Plan Is Already Out of Date
You may be overdue for an update if any of these sound familiar:
- You signed your documents before moving to Florida.
- Your trustee, agent, or guardian has died, moved, or changed.
- You bought or sold a home, but never changed your trust.
- Your family has grown, or a relationship has ended.
- You cannot remember when you last read your plan.
If any of these apply, it is time to schedule a review.
How to Keep Your Plan Current Without Starting Over
Updating does not always mean a new plan. Often it means small, targeted changes:
- Amend a trust to change a trustee or beneficiary.
- Retitle new property into your trust.
- Update beneficiary forms on accounts and insurance.
- Restate the plan when changes are extensive.
A lawyer can tell you which approach fits your situation.
We Stay With You Beyond the Signing
At Goodwin Law, P.A., our estate planning practice prepares wills, revocable and advanced trusts, powers of attorney, living wills, healthcare surrogate designations, and guardianship documents.
Our process includes an Asset Integration Method that helps connect your property and accounts to the finished plan, and clients may request a limited amendment within 90 days after signing at no added charge.
If your update follows a move or a property purchase, see how closings work when you live out of state and how closing on a condo differs from a single-family home.
In Summary
Knowing how often should you update your estate plan in Naples comes down to two habits: a routine review every three to five years and a prompt check after any major life event.
If you live in Naples, Collier County, or Lee County and it has been a while, call Goodwin Law, P.A. at (239) 207-3403 for a free 15-minute consultation, or contact us online today.
