There’s one step many families overlook before heading out on a big trip: making sure their estate plans are updated. Just like choosing travel insurance or confirming flight details, this is a smart, practical part of traveling well-prepared so you can fully focus on the next museum or beach on your itinerary.

It’s the time of year when family and friends gather around a table piled high with favorite foods — and sometimes fraught conversations. The stories shared in these moments often become the memories we cherish most, and they can even spark reflections on the legacy we want to leave. If politics and religion are off the table, try these questions to get dialogue flowing across generations at your holiday meal.

Before the snow starts flying, most of us take care of the practical things — cleaning out the garden, closing up the cabin, stashing away the lawn furniture. The cooler temps and falling leaves provide the perfect nudge to get organized before winter sets in.

It’s also an ideal time to do a quick check-up on something you might not think about very often: your estate plan.