October is National Estate Planning Month—an ideal time for Springfield and Fairfax County families to revisit wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. At Madigan & Scott, we help Northern Virginia clients keep plans current, clear, and Virginia-compliant. Here are seven reasons to review your estate plan now:

1. Life Events
   Marriage, divorce, birth/adoption, or a death in the family can shift priorities. Update beneficiary designations and guardianship choices to match your current reality.

2. Financial Changes
   New job, promotion, business, home purchase, or major investment? Refresh your plan so asset distribution, trust funding, and insurance align with today’s balance sheet.

3. Beneficiaries
   Relationships evolve. Confirm primary and contingent beneficiaries on wills, trusts, retirement accounts, and life insurance to avoid conflicts.

4. Health Issues
   Revisit your advance medical directive and healthcare and financial powers of attorney so trusted agents—and backups—are clearly named.

5. Tax & Law Updates
   Virginia and federal rules change. A periodic review can uncover strategies to minimize taxes, streamline probate, or leverage trust options.

6. Relocation
   Moving into or out of Virginia (including military moves near Fort Belvoir) can affect validity and execution requirements. Localize documents to Springfield/Fairfax standards.

7. Regular Reviews
   Even without big changes, review every 3–5 years to keep documents accurate, witnessed correctly, and easy to administer.

Ready to simplify and protect your wishes? We offer estate planning, wills, trusts (including living and special needs trusts), powers of attorney, advance directives, probate, and estate administration. Schedule a consultation with Madigan & Scott in Springfield, VA: (703) 775-1678 or www.madiganandscott.com.