By Adin Schwenke
As summer begins to wind down, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the moments that make this season special. Whether you’ve spent time traveling, gathering with family, or simply enjoying the sight of grandchildren playing in the yard, these experiences often remind us of what matters most.
They also provide an opportunity to think about the legacy we hope to leave behind; not only for our loved ones, but also through the causes and ministries that have shaped our lives and faith.
August is Make-A-Will Month, making it a perfect time to take a few simple steps toward creating or updating your estate plan. While planning can feel overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. Often, the most important step is simply getting started or taking the step to add that revision.
Here are three easy steps to help you no matter the stage of estate planning you are in:
1. Revise with Every Major Life Event
Creating a will is an important first step, but estate planning is not a one-time event. As life changes, your estate plan should be reviewed to ensure it continues to reflect your values, priorities, and wishes. This Make-A-Will Month, consider whether any significant life events have occurred since you last reviewed your plans.
Have you welcomed a new child or grandchild into your family? The joy of seeing your family grow often brings new opportunities to thoughtfully provide for future generations and ensure your plans reflect those relationships.
Have you celebrated the marriage of a child in recent years? As families expand, it can be helpful to review your plans and consider how your legacy can continue to reflect the faith and values that are important to you.
Have you received an inheritance or experienced a significant financial change? Additional resources often create new stewardship opportunities and may prompt you to reconsider how the Lord has called you to manage and distribute what has been entrusted to your care.
Taking time to review your will after major life changes can help ensure your plans remain current, provide clarity for your loved ones, and continue to support the people and causes that matter most to you.
For additional guidance, we invite you to explore our resource, 15 Questions to Ask When Preparing a Will. While designed to help individuals create a will, many of these questions can also serve as a valuable framework when reviewing and updating an existing estate plan.
2. Take Inventory of What God Has Entrusted to You
As life becomes busy with careers, children, grandchildren, and countless responsibilities, many people lose track of all that God has provided over the years.
This month, consider setting aside time to reflect on the resources the Lord has entrusted to your care. You may discover assets that have changed significantly in value or accounts that have not been reviewed in years.
Perhaps a brokerage account has grown more than you realized. Maybe your home’s value has increased alongside the growth of your community. Or maybe there is a life insurance policy, retirement account, or other assets that still need a beneficiary designation.
Taking inventory is about more than numbers on a page. It’s an opportunity to thank God for His provision and prayerfully consider how these resources can continue to reflect your values and priorities long after you’re gone.
As stewards, we have the privilege of deciding how the blessings we’ve received can continue serving our families and advancing God’s Kingdom for future generations.
3. Review Your Beneficiary Designations
While beneficiary designations may seem like a small detail, they are one of the most important aspects of an estate plan.
Assets such as retirement accounts, life insurance policies, donor-advised funds, and certain investment accounts are set to transfer according to the beneficiary forms on file, not according to the instructions in your will. That’s why it’s important to periodically review these designations and ensure they reflect your wishes.
In many cases, this review can be completed in as little as fifteen minutes. During that time, you may choose to update beneficiaries, include multiple heirs, or designate a portion of your assets to support the ministries and charitable organizations that have impacted your life.
It’s especially important to review donor-advised funds and other charitable accounts. Without thoughtful planning, assets may ultimately be distributed in ways that do not fully align with your personal charitable intentions. Taking time now helps ensure the Lord’s provision is directed toward the people and causes you care about most.
A Legacy That Reflects Your Values
Estate planning is about much more than legal documents and financial assets. It is an opportunity to thoughtfully steward what God has entrusted to you and create a plan that reflects your faith, values, and love for others.
As Proverbs 13:22 reminds us, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children” (ESV). While that inheritance may include financial resources, it can also include the example of wise stewardship, intentional planning, and generosity.
This Make-A-Will Month, consider taking a few simple steps toward the future. Whether you spend time revising your will, reviewing your assets, or updating your beneficiaries, each step can help create clarity for your loved ones and strengthen the legacy you hope to leave behind.
The future may feel distant, but the peace of mind that comes from thoughtful planning can be a gift to both your family and the causes you hold dear.
