I have a piece of clothing we simply call “my favorite sweatshirt.” I think it’s about 20 years old. I may have had it when I graduated from law school in 1995. If not, I got it shortly after that. (The picture to the left is from 1998.) We have a family friend who swears I was wearing it when she first met me in 1997.
It’s gotten a lot of use over the years. Especially on Christmas! What else does a guy grab to wear when relaxing over the holidays? His favorite sweatshirt, of course.
Looking back at Christmas pictures this past year, you could see the sweatshirt showing up year after year… after year.
It’s still my favorite sweatshirt. But I fear its days are numbered. The “Illinois Law” is getting more and more faded. The ends of the sleeves are unraveling and ripped. But it’s so soft and comfortable!
About 10 years ago, I got a “replacement favorite sweatshirt.” Same design, same color. I still have it, but it’s somewhere in the back of the closet. It looks the same (a little brighter) but it definitely doesn’t feel the same. So it doesn’t end up getting worn.
20 years ago my favorite sweatshirt was new. I bought it at the bookstore at the U of I College of Law. Now it’s ragged and my wife has grounded me from wearing it outside the house.
A lot has changed in 20 years — for my sweatshirt, for me, for our family.
How about you? What has changed in your life in the past 20 years? Has your estate plan kept up with the changes?
Life is constantly changing. And that means your plan needs to be regularly updated. With our Dynasty Program, things like that happen automatically. When you’re on your own, it’s very important to regularly assess what updates might be needed.
Most changes any estate plan faces can be summed up by the 3 L’s: life, law and learning. Read more about that and whether your plan is out of date here.