Before You Travel, Make Sure Your Estate Planning Is Up to Date

Vacations are supposed to be the fun kind of planning, not the paperwork kind. But before you turn on your out-of-office reply and head out of town, it can be worth taking a quick look at a few documents that help protect your plans if life gets unpredictable. 

Travel has a funny way of triggering that “wait, do we have this handled?” feeling. Not because something is likely to happen, but because you are already thinking ahead, coordinating details, and making sure things run smoothly while you’re away. 

Estate planning is one part of a broader Legacy Wealth Strategies conversation. It helps ensure the right people can step in to assist with financial or health-related decisions when you cannot. 

Why Travel is a Good Time to Review Your Estate Planning Checklist

This is not about being alarmist. It is about being prepared. 

When you are away from home, it becomes more obvious how helpful it would be if someone could handle a time-sensitive task on your behalf. That might mean paying a bill, talking with a medical provider, or simply knowing where important documents are stored. 

For pre-retirees and retirees, a periodic review can be especially useful. Retirement often comes with changes, new income sources, updated beneficiaries, different health care needs, and evolving family dynamics. A quick check-in helps your documents stay aligned with your real life. 

The Estate Planning Documents to Review Before You Leave

An estate planning attorney typically prepares the documents below. This checklist is designed to help you identify what to review and what may need updating.

Financial Power of Attorney

A financial power of attorney names someone to manage financial matters on your behalf if you are unavailable or unable to do so. This can include things like paying bills, handling banking tasks, or managing account-related paperwork.

Before you travel, it can help to confirm:

• • Who is named
  • Whether that person is still the right choice
  • Whether they know where to find key information if needed

Health Care Power of Attorney and HIPAA Authorization

A health care power of attorney allows someone to make medical decisions for you if you cannot communicate. A HIPAA authorization allows your medical providers to share information with the people you name. 

These documents can reduce delays and confusion if a care situation arises while you are away from home. 

Your Will and Any Trusts

A will outlines how assets should be distributed and who will oversee the process. If you have minor children, it may also name guardians. Trusts can add structure around how and when assets are distributed.

Even if these documents were completed years ago, it is worth checking that they still reflect your wishes, your family situation, and the people you would want involved. 

Beneficiary Designations

Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, insurance policies, and certain investment accounts often take precedence over a will. That means an old designation can unintentionally override your current intentions. 

A quick review helps confirm your beneficiary choices still match the bigger picture. 

A Simple Estate Planning Checklist Before You Travel

If you want a quick, practical review, start here:

• • Confirm your financial power of attorney and health care power of attorney are in place
  • Review who is named and whether it still makes sense 
  • Check beneficiary designations on retirement and insurance accounts
  • Make sure you know where important documents are stored
  • Consider whether a trusted person would know how to access information if needed 

You do not need to tackle everything the week before a trip. Even a short review can help you spot what deserves more attention later. 

How Legacy Wealth Strategies Supports the Process

An estate planning attorney prepares legal documents. A Legacy Wealth Strategies conversation helps make sure those documents align with the rest of your financial life.

Our team can help you:

• • Review how accounts and beneficiary designations align with your intentions
  • Identify planning gaps or updates to discuss with your attorney
  • Coordinate conversations so your plan stays consistent over time

Taking a few minutes to review your estate planning checklist before you travel can bring peace of mind, not just for you, but for the people who might need to help in a pinch. It is a simple way to keep your plans clear, current, and aligned with the life you are building.