Estate Planning Facts for the Holiday Season: Meaningful Reflections to Guide Your Legacy

The holiday season is a time for celebration, connection, and tradition. It also provides a rare opportunity to pause, reflect, and consider the legacy you want to leave behind. Between family gatherings, gift exchanges, and festive memories, this season naturally invites deeper conversations about the people and values that matter most. At HWK Law Group, serving families in Maryland and Florida, we believe the holidays are an ideal time to review your estate plan or create one for the first time. Below, we’ve paired holiday facts with estate planning insights to spark thoughtful dialogue and help you protect what matters most.

Season of Giving

• Holiday Fact: Americans spend an average of $890 on holiday purchases every year.
• Estate Planning Fact: Yet 68% of Americans still don’t have a will—even though everyone has a legacy to leave.
• Reflection: Beyond store-bought gifts, what lasting financial or personal gift do you want your loved ones to receive?

Treasures of Time

• Holiday Fact: 97% of Americans decorate their homes for the holidays.
• Estate Planning Fact: Your will can determine who receives cherished heirlooms like ornaments, menorahs, kinaras, family china, or other meaningful keepsakes.
• Reflection: Are there traditions or sentimental items you want intentionally passed down?

Peace on Earth

• Holiday Fact: Nearly 40% of families experience holiday disagreements, and some conflicts even inspire people to change their estate plans.
• Estate Planning Fact: A clear, comprehensive plan helps minimize misunderstandings and preserve family harmony.
• Reflection: Have past disagreements influenced how you want your estate handled?

Shorter Days, Faster Solutions

• Holiday Fact: The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year.
• Estate Planning Fact: A properly structured trust can shorten or even eliminate the probate process, offering efficiency, privacy, and control.
• Reflection: What matters most to you during estate administration: time savings, privacy, or control?

Fur-ever Gifts

• Holiday Fact: Some Americans spend more than $1,000 on holiday gifts for their pets.
• Estate Planning Fact: Estate plans can include pet trusts or provisions to ensure pets are cared for if something happens to you.
• Reflection: Who would care for your pets if you no longer could?

Will Power Season

• Holiday Fact: USPS is required by law to deliver everywhere—something private carriers don’t have to do.
• Estate Planning Fact: Without a will, state intestacy laws determine who inherits your property, not you. Maryland and Florida each have specific rules that may not match your wishes.
• Reflection: Are you comfortable letting state law decide your heirs?

Little Lights, Bright Futures

• Holiday Fact: Parents spend an average of $173 per child on holiday gifts.
• Estate Planning Fact: Most parents of minor children do not have a will naming guardians.
• Reflection: If something happened tomorrow, who would you trust to raise your children?

Wills for All Seasons

• Holiday Fact: Millennials and Gen Z are leading the trend in “self-gifting.”
• Estate Planning Fact: Estate planning might be the most meaningful form of self-gifting offering long-term clarity, protection, and peace of mind.
• Reflection: What decisions today would make life easier for your future self and your family?

A Final Thought for the Season

The holidays encourage us to slow down, reconnect, and reflect on what truly matters. Updating or establishing an estate plan is one of the most powerful and lasting gifts you can give your family. It protects your assets, safeguards your wishes, and provides peace of mind that carries far beyond the holiday season. HWK Law Group is here to help you take the next step whether you’re reviewing an existing plan or building one for the first time. Let’s ensure your legacy is protected in Maryland, Florida, and wherever life takes you.