Estate Planning: What You Need to Know Right Now

Whether you’re reviewing an existing estate plan or starting to create your first estate plan, speaking with an experienced estate planning attorney can help you prepare for the events of the future and protect you and your loved ones today. A recent article appearing in Legal Reader, “The Top Estate Planning Trends You Need to Know in 2025,” reviews the information you need to know.

Digital assets are an important part of today’s estate plans. Cryptocurrency isn’t the only asset to protect. Your executor will need to know how to access and manage all of your digital assets, from emails and online games to airline miles and social media. You might need a digital executor, a relatively new role, for this new asset class.

Trusts continue to be used by people at all income levels. Trusts are used to manage wealth, minimize taxes, and keep assets out of probate. There are traditional trusts, such as revocable and irrevocable trusts, but more specialized trusts are used to help families address complex needs. If a family member is disabled, consider a Special Needs Trust. If the family owns a business, they may need to establish a trust to fulfill a succession plan. Flexibility in adapting to changing circumstances makes trusts an agile and useful tool.

Tax planning is part of estate planning. Federal and state tax changes require careful estate planning to lessen tax burdens, with strategies such as gifting, charitable contributions, and trusts to preserve wealth for heirs. An estate planning attorney will keep you updated about changing annual exemptions, estate tax thresholds, and federal and state-specific laws so you can make informed decisions.

Healthcare and end-of-life decisions are the “now” part of estate planning. An estate plan includes creating financial and healthcare directives. These include Powers of Attorney, Healthcare Proxies, Living Wills, and other related documents, depending upon your situation. By outlining preferences for long-term care, end-of-life treatments, and medical decisions, you can reduce the stress and uncertainty for family members during a medical crisis. Consider this part of your estate plan to be a gift for loved ones. They’ll never have to wonder if they made the right decision, because you told them what you wanted in advance.

Don’t try to create an estate plan without the help of a professional. People have tried and failed to use online sources for estate plans, and their children invariably find themselves in an estate planning attorney’s office trying to undo the damage. Educating yourself by reading websites from qualified estate planning attorneys is good, but having AI create an estate plan is asking for trouble.

Estate planning isn’t just about preparing documents—it’s about ensuring your wishes are respected and your loved ones are protected, no matter what the future holds. At The Werner Law Firm, our experienced estate planning attorneys stay up to date with the latest legal and tax changes to help you create or update a plan that fits your family’s needs today and tomorrow.

If you have any questions, schedule a free appointment with us through our online appointment page.

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Reference: Legal Reader (September 25, 2025) “The Top Estate Planning Trends You Need to Know in 2025”