06 Jan The Top 10 Planning Ideas Affluent Families Should Address in 2026
Most successful business owners don’t ignore estate planning.
They intend to get to it.
They put a plan in place years ago. They assume it’s still fine. And they focus (quite reasonably) on running their business, supporting their family, and building wealth.
The problem is this:
Estate plans don’t age gracefully on their own.
Life changes quietly. Businesses evolve. Children grow up. Laws shift. And over time, a plan that once made perfect sense can drift out of alignment with the life it’s meant to protect.
As we head into 2026, here are ten planning ideas that thoughtful affluent families should revisit this year. After all, as a business owner, you’re the one responsible for stewardship for the people and legacy you care about most.
1. Does Your Plan Still Reflect Your Life Today?
Estate plans are snapshots in time.
Marriage, divorce, children reaching adulthood, business growth, relocations, and changing family dynamics all affect how a plan works in practice.
If your plan hasn’t been reviewed in the last few years, the question isn’t whether it needs attention, it’s where it no longer fits.
2. Are Your Trusts Properly Funded?
A trust only works if it actually owns assets.
Surprisingly often, I see carefully drafted trusts that were never fully funded. Accounts remain in individual names. Real estate was never retitled. Business interests were never formally transferred.
The result is unnecessary court involvement, delays, and confusion. These are the precise risks the trust was meant to avoid.
3. Does Your Business Have a Clear Succession Plan?
For many families, the business is both the largest asset and the greatest source of risk.
What happens if you step away unexpectedly?
What happens if a partner exits, becomes disabled, or passes away?
Clear succession planning helps preserve value, protect relationships, and ensure continuity rather than disruption.
4. Would Your Spouse Know What to Do?
A strong plan isn’t just legally sound. It’s understandable.
If something happens to you, does your spouse know:
Where documents are kept?
Who to call?
How decisions are supposed to be made?
Clarity here isn’t about control. It’s about giving your family confidence during moments when they’ll need it most.
5. Are the Right People in Decision-Making Roles?
Trustees, executors, and agents play a critical role in how smoothly a plan unfolds.
The right choice isn’t always the closest family member. It’s the person, or institution, with the judgment, temperament, and ability to carry out the role effectively.
Thoughtful selection now prevents tension and second-guessing later.
6. Have You Planned for Incapacity, Not Just Death?
While most people focus on death planning, incapacity planning is often more relevant.
A properly structured plan ensures that if you’re unable to manage your affairs, even temporarily, your family and business can continue operating without court intervention or uncertainty.
This is about continuity, not pessimism.
7. Is Your Asset Protection Strategy Intentional?
Many business owners assume their LLCs or insurance policies provide sufficient protection.
Sometimes they do. Often, they don’t (especially if the business entity wasn’t set up the right way or the business is severely underinsured).
Effective asset protection is proactive and layered. It’s designed well in advance, not assembled under pressure when a problem arises.
8. Do Beneficiary Designations Match Your Overall Plan?
Retirement accounts, life insurance, and certain investment accounts pass by beneficiary designation, not by your will or trust.
If those designations are outdated or inconsistent, they can quietly override your entire plan.
A periodic review here is one of the simplest ways to prevent unintended outcomes.
9. Have You Planned With Human Nature in Mind?
Even close families experience stress when money, grief, and responsibility intersect.
Well-designed plans anticipate this reality. They reduce ambiguity, set expectations, and create structures that minimize conflict rather than invite it.
Planning for human behavior is just as important as planning for legal outcomes.
10. Has Your Plan Been Pressure-Tested?
A good plan doesn’t rely on everything going perfectly.
It considers:
- Changes in tax laws
- Divorce or creditor issues involving beneficiaries
- Unexpected business transitions
- Long-term care needs
Pressure-testing a plan helps ensure it holds up under real-world conditions, not just ideal ones.
Legacy and Responsibility
Estate and business planning isn’t about predicting the future.
It’s about preparing your family to navigate it with clarity, stability, and confidence.
The families we work with are motivated by responsibility. By a desire to leave things better organized, not harder, for the people they love.
We work with a select group of business-owning families each year who value thoughtful, customized planning and long-term relationships.
If you’d like to explore whether we’re the right fit to help you review or refine your plan for 2026, apply here:
We are selective. We’re not for everybody. We only work with serious owners and families committed to taking care of their business and families. But for the right families, the result is lasting peace of mind and a legacy that truly holds together.