A yearly Family Care Program (FCP) ensures your estate plan stays current with life changes, such as new children, job shifts, or legal updates, providing ongoing protection for your family. Annual reviews and flat-fee pricing eliminate the risk of outdated documents and surprise legal bills, offering peace of mind and cost certainty for growing families. Ongoing attorney guidance through an FCP helps your family remain compliant with evolving Texas laws and maximizes asset protection, preserving your legacy for future generations.

Your family’s needs evolve, your assets grow, and laws change, yet many parents create their estate plan once and never look back, leaving their loved ones vulnerable to outdated provisions that no longer match their wishes or circumstances.

The solution lies in ongoing maintenance through a yearly estate plan FCP (Family Care Program), which transforms this one-time approach into an ongoing protection strategy for your family. 

Rather than hoping your decade-old documents will work when needed, proactive families invest in annual comprehensive reviews that adapt their plans to new children, career changes, and legal updates. Davidek Law Firm’s Family Care Program offers exactly this type of proactive protection through a flat annual fee structure. 

What is a yearly estate plan FCP, and why does it matter?

A Family Care Program (FCP) transforms the traditional approach to family estate planning by providing ongoing legal support through a predictable flat annual fee structure. Rather than treating estate planning as a one-time transaction, an FCP creates a lasting partnership between your family and your attorney. 

This membership-style approach includes annual reviews at no additional cost, secure online document storage, and direct access to legal guidance whenever questions arise. The Family Care program benefits extend far beyond simple document updates. They provide peace of mind that your plan will evolve alongside your growing family.

Growing families face constant changes, and your estate plan shouldn’t remain static when your circumstances shift. When your family welcomes a new baby or moves to a different state, yearly check-ins help ensure your documents reflect these significant life changes while keeping pace with evolving Texas laws that could impact your family’s protection. 

Estate planning attorneys recommend checking estate planning documents every five years at a minimum, but regular plan updates offer superior protection by catching changes before they become problems.

Benefits of a yearly estate plan FCP for growing families

Estate planning is often seen as a task for the wealthy or the elderly, but for growing families, it’s a critical component of securing their future. A yearly review of your estate plan ensures that as your family evolves, your plan evolves with it, providing peace of mind and protection for those who matter most.

Peace of mind for families: Sleep easier knowing your plan is always up to date

Knowing your estate plan reflects your current wishes and circumstances, you can rest easy knowing your children and loved ones are truly protected. Annual reviews through a Family Care Program ensure that major life changes, like welcoming a new baby, changing jobs, or moving to a different state, are immediately reflected in your legal documents. 

Without regular updates, your estate plan becomes outdated, potentially leaving your loved ones vulnerable to unintended consequences or court decisions that don’t align with your values.

The ongoing support with yearly estate plan maintenance significantly reduces the anxiety many parents feel about legal and financial surprises. Research shows that financial stress is one of the leading causes of sleepless nights for American families, but having a current, comprehensive plan provides the sense of control and readiness that families need.

When you’re part of a Family Care Program, you’re not navigating complex legal decisions alone; you have professional guidance to help you understand how changing laws or family dynamics might affect your plan.

Adapting to life changes: Keep your plan current as your family grows

Life rarely stands still, and your estate plan shouldn’t either. The American Bar Association recommends reviewing estate planning documents after major life events such as the birth of a child, marriage, divorce, moving to another state, or significant financial changes. 

When these moments arrive, and they will, outdated documents can create more problems than having no plan at all. Updating estate plans becomes not just important, but necessary to protect your family’s future.

A yearly Family Care Program addresses this reality by building regular reviews into your family’s routine. Rather than scrambling to remember what needs changing after a major life event, you have a structured system that keeps your plan current with your evolving circumstances. 

The National Institute on Aging emphasizes reviewing plans at least once each year and when any major life event occurs, which aligns perfectly with how a yearly FCP operates.

Staying compliant with Texas estate planning laws

Texas estate planning laws don’t remain static. They evolve regularly, and what worked perfectly for your family last year might leave you vulnerable today. Recent developments demonstrate this reality clearly: the federal estate tax exemption is scheduled to sunset at the end of 2025, potentially cutting the exemption from $13.99 million to roughly $6-7 million per person as of 2025. 

Meanwhile, Texas has seen significant updates to its Estates Code and Trust Code throughout 2025. These include new will-form requirements and procedural modifications that could affect how your documents function. If your estate documents don’t reflect these developments, you risk having outdated provisions that courts might not honor or that could trigger unexpected tax consequences for your children.

An annual review with a qualified attorney protects against these shifting legal landscapes. During these reviews, your attorney examines your documents against current statutes, identifies any provisions that need updating, and ensures your estate plan remains legally enforceable under today’s rules. 

This proactive approach is particularly important for Texas families because our state’s community property laws create unique considerations that don’t exist in other states, and modifications to federal tax codes can dramatically impact how your assets transfer to your loved ones. Rather than discovering problems after it’s too late, yearly reviews catch compliance issues while there’s still time to fix them.

Protecting your family legacy and assets

Asset protection strategies must grow alongside your family’s changing circumstances and financial goals. What works for a young couple with their first child differs significantly from what a family needs when they own multiple properties, have teenagers approaching college, or face complex business interests. 

A yearly Family Care Program ensures your protection strategies evolve as your wealth grows, laws change, and your family circumstances shift. This ongoing approach incorporates advanced tools like specialized trusts and other strategies designed to shield your assets from creditors, lawsuits, and unnecessary taxes.

Protecting family legacy goes beyond preserving financial assets. It’s about safeguarding the values and principles you want to pass to your children. Without proper planning, your children may not receive their inheritance in the way you intended, and court-appointed trustees may not share your family’s values or financial philosophy. 

Research from Harvard Business School emphasizes that comprehensive estate planning preserves family legacy and protects loved ones from unnecessary stress and complications. A yearly review helps ensure your wishes for your children’s upbringing, education, and financial security remain clearly documented and legally enforceable while adapting to their changing needs as they grow.

Personalized legal guidance every step of the way

Having the proper documents is just the beginning as your family grows and laws change. You need an attorney who knows your story and can help you navigate updates, answer questions, and guide critical decisions. Research shows that families who receive ongoing education are significantly more likely to maintain proper estate planning. A yearly estate plan FCP provides the personalized legal guidance that keeps your plan working for your family.

  • Direct attorney access when you need it most – Get answers to your questions without waiting weeks for an appointment or worrying about hourly fees adding up.
  • Customized strategies for your family’s unique needs – Whether you’re blending families, planning for special needs children, or managing business interests, your attorney tailors advice to your specific situation.
  • Proactive education that empowers your decisions – Stay informed about law changes, tax strategies, and planning opportunities through regular reviews and ongoing communication.
  • Attorney-facilitated coordination with your other advisors – Your estate planning attorney helps ensure your accountants and financial advisors are aligned with your family protection goals.
  • Professional oversight that prevents problems – Know that an experienced attorney is monitoring your plan and will alert you when updates are needed, not just when problems arise.
  • Support for your loved ones during loss – When you pass away, your attorney provides guidance to your family members, helping them understand and implement your wishes with compassion and clarity.

Frequently asked questions about yearly estate plan FCPs

Many families have questions about how annual estate plan reviews work and whether ongoing legal support makes a difference. These common questions help clarify the value and mechanics of a Family Care Program for growing families.

How often should I update my estate plan?

You should review your estate plan at least annually, or immediately after major life events like births, marriages, divorces, or significant financial changes. According to estate planning experts, regular reviews every three to five years are recommended at a minimum, but annual reviews provide the best protection for your loved ones’ evolving needs. The annual estate plan review that is included with your FCP ensures your wishes stay current with your circumstances and evolving legal requirements.

What if my family situation changes mid-year?

A Family Care Program allows you to update your plan whenever needed, not just during your scheduled annual review. Whether you welcome a new baby, experience a job change, or face unexpected challenges, you have ongoing access to make necessary adjustments throughout the year. This flexibility means your children stay protected no matter when life changes occur.

Are annual reviews really necessary if nothing has changed in my personal life?

Yes, annual reviews remain important even when your personal situation appears unchanged. Estate and tax laws can change from year to year, potentially affecting how your plan works or creating new opportunities for your family. Additionally, your named guardians, executors, or trustees may move away, become ill, or no longer be suitable to serve your loved ones when needed.

What does the flat annual fee cover?

The flat annual fee covers your complete annual review, any necessary document updates, ongoing attorney access for estate planning questions, and priority support when you need guidance. Based on established Family Care Programs, this often includes updates to wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and beneficiary designations, plus secure document storage and coordination with your other advisors. This predictable pricing eliminates surprise legal bills when you have questions about your children’s guardianship or need to update beneficiaries, encouraging you to stay proactive about your family’s protection.

Ensure your family’s future with a yearly estate plan FCP

A yearly estate plan Family Care Program provides the adaptability families need as children grow, careers advance, and circumstances evolve. While people initially create estate plans for peace of mind and to protect loved ones, these motivations make ongoing reviews valuable: your desire to safeguard your family doesn’t end after signing documents. 

Now is an ideal time to take action, while you can make thoughtful decisions about your family’s future. Estate planning professionals recommend reviewing plans every few years at a minimum, but annual reviews offer enhanced security for families experiencing frequent changes. 

Schedule a consultation to discover how a Family Care Program can provide the ongoing legal support your family deserves, with transparent pricing and personalized guidance tailored to your unique situation. Learn more about comprehensive estate planning solutions designed to evolve alongside your family’s needs.

Robert Harrison

Author Robert Harrison

Robert S. Harrison is a partner and attorney at Davidek Law Firm. He graduated summa cum laude from Texas State University with a focus on Political Science and Environmental Geography, and earned his law degree cum laude from St. Mary’s University School of Law, graduating near the top of his class. While in law school, he received multiple honors, including induction into The John M. Harlan Legal Honor Society. Upon graduation from law school, Robert opened his own firm in San Marcos, Texas, where he focused his energies working with the San Marcos community in the areas of estate planning, consumer law, contract law, and environmental law, before joining the Davidek Law Firm, PLLC team as an associate attorney in early 2020. He lives in San Marcos, Texas , and is also an accomplished musician with decades of performance experience. See his LinkedIn profile.

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