What should I do if I move to another state?

A move does not always cancel an estate document, but the new state's law can affect wording, signing, agents, probate, taxes, and real estate. A move is a common reason to have a lawyer in the new state review the plan.

General information

• Domicile may change before every record is updated.
• Real property remains governed in important ways by the state where it is located.
• Health-care and power-of-attorney forms may be easier to use when they match local law.

Service steps to consider

1. Considering updates to residence and contact details.
2. Have a lawyer in the new state review the plan.
3. Considering updates to deeds, account addresses, and local health-care records as needed.

Quick check

• Has a person, asset, or address changed?
• Do all account forms match the plan?
• Can the right person find the current forms?

How Complete Wills can help

Complete Wills offers document updates through its published update service and can help customers access or revise eligible online documents. Support cannot decide whether a life event legally changes an existing document. Only a state-licensed attorney can provide that analysis. Customer support can explain website features and questionnaire fields, but it cannot choose documents, people, distributions, or legal terms, interpret a completed document, or explain how the law applies to a person's facts. Only a separately engaged licensed attorney may provide legal advice within the attorney's engagement.

Important limits

• Risk: writing changes on a signed will or trust while assuming they are valid. A licensed attorney can advise about a properly executed amendment or replacement.
• After a death, the executor, trustee, family, and experts must follow the controlling documents, account contracts, court rules, and tax law. This article gives general information only. A licensed attorney can explain how state law applies to a specific estate plan or document.