Estate Planning: When’s the right time?

When is the right time to start estate planning? When you are young? Just married? Just had a child? Just bought your own home? When you become a grandparent? On your 60th birthday?

Have you ever thought about estate planning and wondered when the right time might be to start?

If you’ve recently bought your first home, welcomed a new baby, gone through a divorce, or remarried, now is the ideal time to consider estate planning. These significant life events are exactly when putting a plan in place can make the biggest difference, helping you protect what matters most and ensure your wishes are clearly understood.

“Do I Really Need to Think About That Now?”

We know, life is busy, and let’s be honest, thinking about what happens after you’re gone isn’t exactly at the top of the to-do list. But estate planning isn’t about preparing for the worst; it’s about protecting the people you care about most. It’s a quiet act of love that says, “I’ve thought about this, so you won’t have to.” By putting your wishes in writing now, you spare your family confusion, stress, and tough decisions later, giving them clarity and peace when they need it most..

The right time is when life changes.

Still not sure if now’s the right time?

Ask yourself:

• Have I just bought a house or moved in with someone?

• Have I recently got married, divorced, or remarried?

• Do I have children, or am I planning to start a family?

• Do I want to make sure specific people receive specific things?

  
  

If you answered yes to any of these, it’s time.

Why estate planning matters more than you think.

Estate planning ensures that your home, your savings, and your personal wishes are handled exactly as you’d want, not left to chance or to the courts. Without a will or proper plan in place, UK law decides who gets what, which may not reflect your current relationships or intentions.

Here’s what a solid estate plan can help you do:

• Name guardians for your children

• Choose who inherits your assets

• Avoid potential disputes between family members

• Make things simpler during an already difficult time

Estate planning isn’t about age, it’s about intention

This isn’t something you do because you’re “at that stage in life.” It’s something you do because you care enough to plan ahead, not just for yourself, but for the people who count on you.

At Cheshire Estate Planning, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. We listen, we guide, and we tailor everything to fit your life as it is, and as it changes.

Because estate planning isn’t a box you tick. It’s part of building the life you want, with the people who matter most at the heart of it.