Estate planning is usually one of those things people put off until tomorrow. The truth is, waiting only makes it harder for your family. A burial guide and a simple will kit can spare your loved ones from confusion, arguments, and unnecessary expenses. And right now, with new federal law reshaping estate taxes, there’s no better time to take action.
On July 4, 2025, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, H.R. 1, now Public Law 119-21. This law makes permanent changes to taxes, charitable giving, and estate planning that impact every family in America. While most headlines focused on tax brackets and deductions, the estate piece deserves your attention. It could change how you prepare, how you give, and the legacy you leave behind.
Why Burial Guides and Will Kits Still Matter
Let’s start simple. A burial guide is not just a set of funeral wishes, it’s a roadmap. It answers questions your family would otherwise have to guess at in their hardest moment:
- Do you want burial or cremation?
- Which funeral home should they call?
- How will expenses be covered?
Without that clarity, grieving families often overspend out of guilt or emotion. A burial guide prevents that.
Then there’s the will kit. Even a basic will ensures your assets go where you intend, guardianship for minor children is clear, and your spouse isn’t left battling the courts. Without it, the state decides who gets what, and that rarely matches your values.
These two tools, burial guides and wills, are the foundation of stewardship. They protect your family from chaos. But they also set the stage for something bigger: how your estate ties into your legacy.
What the One Big Beautiful Bill Changed
The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA) rewrote parts of the tax code that affect how families plan their estates. Here are the highlights:
- Estate & Gift Tax Exemption Raised – The exemption was permanently increased to $15 million per person and $30 million per couple beginning in 2026, with inflation indexing going forward (Ways & Means Committee Section-by-Section Summary). That means very few families will ever pay federal estate tax.
- Lifetime Giving Still Matters – While the exemption is high, estate lawyers caution that lifetime gifting and trust strategies remain wise, especially with the possibility of future law changes and state-level estate or inheritance taxes (JD Supra).
- Charitable Giving Incentives – The law encourages accelerating charitable gifts into your lifetime rather than waiting until death, since gifts made while alive can reduce income taxes while bequests at death do not (IRS overview).
- Confirmation of Law – Signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025, it was celebrated as a sweeping tax overhaul (Time Magazine).
For a quick primer, the Wikipedia article on the law summarizes its history, passage, and provisions.
What This Means for Your Family
The government just gave families breathing room. With exemptions this high, most Americans won’t face federal estate tax. But don’t mistake that for a reason to ignore planning. If anything, it makes clarity even more important.
Here’s what to do now:
- Update or Create Your Will – The new law doesn’t write your will for you. If you don’t create one, your state’s intestacy laws will. That’s how assets end up in the wrong hands.
- Pair It With a Burial Guide – Wills handle assets; burial guides handle your wishes in those first emotional days. Your family deserves both.
- Check Your Beneficiaries – Life insurance, retirement accounts, and survivor benefits often pass outside of wills. Make sure your designations reflect your current intentions.
- Consider Charitable Giving Now – With income tax advantages for giving during your lifetime, this is the moment to align your generosity with your faith and values (Kiplinger).
- Plan for State-Level Rules – Some states still impose inheritance or estate taxes. Don’t assume federal changes mean you’re completely free and clear.
Faith, Legacy, and Stewardship
From a faith perspective, this isn’t just about numbers. Scripture calls us to be faithful stewards. That means preparing, not leaving our families scrambling. The Apostle Paul reminded believers that everything we have is entrusted to us. Estate planning is one way of living that out: protecting your family, providing for their needs, and giving generously to causes that matter.
This is also where legacy goes beyond money. Your will and burial guide don’t just tell your family what to do, they remind them of what you stood for. When they see your clarity, your values, and your care, they inherit more than possessions. They inherit peace.
Your Next Step
Here’s where I keep it simple. You can’t download a will kit from the internet and call it good. I provide a customized Last Will & Testament Kit for veterans and their families when we sit down together. That way it’s not generic, it’s designed with your real needs in mind.
So here’s your move: schedule an appointment with me. You’ll walk away with a burial guide and a will kit that give your family clarity and peace. That’s not paperwork, that’s stewardship.
Closing Thought
The One Big Beautiful Bill gave families a historic opportunity to plan without fear of federal estate tax. But laws don’t protect your family, you do. A burial guide and a will kit are small steps that create massive peace of mind.
Your life is your legacy. Put it in writing.
Sources for reference: