Why your will from 2015 might be a problem in 2026

A will is a snapshot, and families do not hold still. Reviews matter after any of these: a marriage, divorce, or new child anywhere in the family tree. A move to another state, because signing formalities and tax rules differ. A business started or sold. A named executor or guardian who has died, moved away, or fallen out of your life. And meaningful changes in what you own, because a plan built around a house and a pension handles a brokerage account and a rental property badly. Tax law moves too. Exemption amounts have shifted repeatedly over the last decade, and plans built around old numbers can misfire. Our rule of thumb is a review every three years, or immediately after any event above. It is a one-hour meeting that prevents a year of probate argument.