Don’t Let Your Dog Eat Your Estate Planning Homework 🐾

At ACEMaven Legal, every estate plan we prepare comes with more than just legal documents. You’ll notice colored tabs throughout your plan—those tabs aren’t decorative. They’re there to flag action items, also known as your estate planning homework.

To make things even easier, each client receives a separate handout where we walk through that homework again, explain what it means, and why it matters. And yes—we mean really matters.

Why Is the Homework So Important?

Last year, a client’s son contacted our office after finding his mother’s estate plan. He wanted guidance on her wishes—what she would have wanted to go to whom, how certain personal items should be handled, and what decisions she would have made.

The difficult reality? A Will—or even a Trust—does not list every single item you own or every preference you have.

Because our client had not completed the accompanying worksheets, we didn’t know her specific wishes, and unfortunately, neither did her son. He was left to guess during an already emotional and stressful time.

What Does the Homework Include?

Your estate planning homework fills in the gaps that legal documents simply can’t cover. It includes:

• Asset worksheets where you can list personal items and who you’d like them to go to

• Password and access lists to make it easier for loved ones to manage digital accounts and assets

• Funeral and medical preference sections so your family isn’t left making painful decisions without guidance

Think of it as the personal side of your estate plan—the part that brings clarity and comfort to the people you care about most.

But What If I Change My Mind?

We often hear this concern. Maybe our client didn’t complete her homework because she didn’t want to feel locked into her decisions.

Here’s the good news: your homework is not legally binding. You can update it at any time. Its purpose is not to trap you—it’s to guide your family when they need it most.

The Real Gift: Clarity

Completing your homework is just one step. The other equally important step is having open, honest conversations with your loved ones about your wishes. While these conversations can be uncomfortable, they prevent confusion, conflict, and heartache later.

Estate planning isn’t just about documents—it’s about people. And the greatest gift you can leave behind is clarity.

So please… don’t let your dog (or procrastination) eat your estate planning homework.