Why ‘Good Enough’ Estate Planning Won’t Protect Your Nebraska Family

When it comes to Nebraska estate planning, there’s a mindset I see far too often: “We already have something in place. It’s probably good enough.”

Let’s be clear—“good enough” is never good enough. Not when we’re talking about protecting your family, your assets, and everything you’ve worked so hard for. And certainly not when the risks of getting this wrong could mean public court proceedings, family conflict, or losing control over how your legacy is handled.

Estate planning is not a one-and-done task. It’s not the free will you downloaded years ago. Yes, under Nebraska law a properly executed will can be valid—but I can tell you from experience, those generic forms often leave out critical details or haven’t been updated for life changes like marriage, divorce, births, deaths, or even moving to Nebraska from another state. It’s also not the generic power of attorney form a bank handed you. And it’s definitely not a trust that was set up years ago and never funded—because in Nebraska, as in most states, an unfunded trust will not keep your assets out of probate.

As a Nebraska estate lawyer, I’ve seen firsthand how “good enough” planning leaves families vulnerable. One recent example: a client came to me after her father passed away, believing everything had been handled. He had a will, but it hadn’t been updated since he remarried and had more grandchildren. He also had a trust, but none of his assets were ever titled to it. The family thought they’d be avoiding probate, but instead they ended up in Nebraska probate court, sorting out an outdated will, unfunded trust, and conflicting beneficiary designations. Disagreements among step-siblings added emotional strain to what should have been a time to grieve and honor his memory.

Why does this happen so often? In many cases, it’s because life is busy. Estate planning can feel overwhelming, or like something to put off. Or people assume it’s too costly—without realizing that the cost of not planning is often far greater. Probate fees, legal battles, strained family relationships—these are the real price of “good enough” planning.

And this isn’t an isolated situation. I often see other common scenarios here in Nebraska: someone moves here from another state but never updates their documents to reflect Nebraska law; a named personal representative or trustee passes away or becomes unable to serve; beneficiary designations on life insurance or retirement accounts are outdated and conflict with the will or trust. All of these gaps can land your family in probate court or lead to outcomes you didn’t intend.

Good estate planning isn’t just paperwork. It’s a process. It’s about building a Nebraska wills and trusts strategy that reflects your life today—not ten years ago. It means regularly reviewing your plan to match your current family structure, asset ownership, and wishes. It means coordinating how your assets are titled, making sure your beneficiary designations are current, and protecting not only against what happens when you pass away—but also what happens if you become incapacitated.

And here’s the truth—“good enough” planning doesn’t do any of that. It gives the illusion of security while quietly exposing your family to risk.

If it’s been more than two or three years since you’ve reviewed your estate plan—or if you’ve never done comprehensive planning—it’s time to take that next step. Because when it comes to protecting your family, your assets, and your legacy, good enough is never good enough.

If you’d like to make sure your plan will truly protect the people and future you care about, I’d be happy to help. You can contact me at 402-259-0059 or zach@zandersonlaw.com to schedule a consultation.