Key Takeaways
- Your legal documents should change when your life does. The people you named five years ago may not be the right people today.
- The biggest triggers are a new baby, moving in with a partner, marriage, divorce, blending families, military deployment and a child leaving home.
- At each milestone, review your will, beneficiary designations, powers of attorney, HIPAA release and guardian nominations.
- Beneficiary designations are the most commonly forgotten update, and they override your will.
- Even without a big event, review everything every three to five years.
Why life events matter
Estate planning documents freeze your decisions at the moment you sign them. Life keeps moving: new children arrive, relationships begin and end, kids grow up and leave home. When that happens, your documents can end up naming an ex-spouse as your health care agent, leaving nothing to a new child, or leaving an unmarried partner with no rights at all.
The life events checklist
| Life event | Most important updates | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| New baby or adoption | Will with a guardian, life insurance, beneficiaries, powers of attorney | New baby legal checklist |
| Moving in together | Cohabitation agreement, HIPAA release, health care POA, beneficiaries | Moving in together checklist |
| Marriage | Will, beneficiaries, powers of attorney | Estate planning checklist |
| Divorce | Will, beneficiaries, powers of attorney, guardian nominations | Estate planning after divorce |
| Remarriage or blended family | Will or trust that protects both spouse and children | Blended family estate planning |
| Military deployment | Family care plan, powers of attorney, guardianship | Military family care plan |
| Child turns 18 or leaves home | Young adult signs HIPAA, FERPA and powers of attorney | Documents to sign at 18 |
| Child studies abroad | Powers of attorney, HIPAA, travel documents | Study abroad checklist |
| Parent needs help | Parent’s powers of attorney and health care documents | Caring for aging parents |
| Loss of a spouse or loved one | Your own will, beneficiaries and agents | What to do when someone dies |
Guides for each milestone
- New baby legal checklist
- Moving in together: the legal checklist
- Estate planning after divorce
- Estate planning for blended families
- Military family care plan
- Study abroad document checklist
- Documents to sign when your child turns 18
- Caring for aging parents
- What to do when someone dies
What to review every time
- Will: beneficiaries, executor and guardian for minor children. See how to make a will.
- Beneficiary designations on life insurance and retirement accounts. See primary vs. contingent beneficiary.
- Financial and health care powers of attorney: are your agents still the right people?
- HIPAA release: who can talk to your doctors?
- Living will: do your wishes still reflect your values?
- How property is titled: joint ownership, trusts, transfer-on-death designations.
For how to make changes without creating problems, see how often to update your estate plan.
Frequently asked questions
After every major life event, and at least every three to five years otherwise. Moving to a new state is also a good time for a review.
Not reliably. Some states give a new spouse rights even if your will predates the marriage, but the results may not match your wishes. Review and update your will after marrying.
In many states, divorce revokes provisions for an ex-spouse in a will, but not always, and those laws may not apply to every beneficiary designation. Update everything yourself.
Beneficiary designations on life insurance and retirement accounts. They override your will, so an outdated form can send money to the wrong person.
Your existing documents are often still valid, but it’s wise to review them under your new state’s rules, especially powers of attorney and health care directives.
Guides in this hub
- New Baby Legal Checklist: Documents to Handle Before and After BirthBeyond the crib and car seat: the legal and financial to-dos for new parents, from birth certificates and insurance deadlines to naming a guardian.
- Moving In Together: The Legal and Financial ChecklistMoving in with a partner? The legal and financial checklist: lease or title, shared expenses, renters insurance, cohabitation agreement, HIPAA and powers of attorney.
- Estate Planning After Divorce: What to UpdateAfter a divorce, update your will, beneficiaries, powers of attorney and health care documents. Learn what changes automatically, what doesn't, and the timing traps.
- Estate Planning for Blended FamiliesIn blended families, a simple will can accidentally disinherit your children or leave your spouse with too little. Learn the common pitfalls and tools that protect everyone.
- Military Family Care Plan: Legal Documents Before DeploymentSingle service members, dual-military couples and others with dependents need a family care plan. Here's what it covers and the legal documents to sign before deploying.
- Study Abroad Document Checklist for Students and ParentsPassport, visa, insurance and the legal documents that let parents help from home: a study abroad checklist covering powers of attorney, HIPAA, FERPA and more.
Don’t leave your family guessing
Put your health care wishes in writing with a living will, HIPAA release and medical authorization. The No Brainer Box adds a last will, a revocable trust and health care and financial powers of attorney.
- Answer a few simple questions online
- Download your completed, ready-to-sign forms
- Sign them and keep copies in your account
This guide is general educational information written by the No Brainer Forms Team. It is not legal advice, and No Brainer Forms is not a law firm. Laws and signing requirements vary by state; for advice about your situation, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.