Summer Check-In: Four Things to Review Before the Season Gets Away
This time of year, advisors are reviewing accounts and making sure portfolios are still positioned the way they should be. It’s a natural checkpoint — the year is half over, and it’s a good time to look at the whole picture.
The portfolio side gets attention. What most people never get around to is everything else.
Here are four things worth a look before summer gets away from you. None of them require a financial degree. They just require someone to actually look.
In This Article
Beneficiary Designations: When Did You Last Check?
The short answer: if you can’t remember, it’s probably been too long.
Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance policies control who receives that money when you die — and they operate completely independently of your will. That means if your will says one thing and your beneficiary form says another, the form wins. Every time.
According to the IRS, beneficiary rules vary by account type — traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, and life insurance each follow their own rules. That means reviewing each account separately, not assuming they all match.
Common situations that leave designations outdated: getting married or divorced, having a child, losing a parent who was named, or simply setting it up when you opened the account years ago and never returning to it.
How to check yours on LPL accounts: Log in to LPL Account View at myaccountviewonline.com. Your beneficiary designations on file are visible from your account dashboard.
Not set up yet? LPL provides a step-by-step self-registration guide — it takes about five minutes. You’ll need your email, phone, last four digits of your SSN, and zip code. If you have difficulty, reach out and we’ll help you get access.
Insurance Coverage: Has Your Life Changed Since You Set It?
Coverage drift is quiet. It happens every year, and most people don’t notice until they file a claim.
Policies are set at a point in time and don’t automatically adjust when your life changes. Your income may have grown. You may have renovated the kitchen or added a deck. You may have changed jobs and quietly lost employer-provided disability coverage in the process. None of that triggers an automatic update to your policies.
Three areas worth a look:
Life insurance. Is the coverage amount appropriate for your current income and the people depending on it? A policy set up ten years ago may reflect a very different financial picture.
Homeowners insurance. Home improvements increase your replacement cost. If your coverage hasn’t been updated since the renovation, you may be underinsured — meaning a claim pays out at a lower number than what it actually costs to rebuild.
Disability insurance. According to the Social Security Administration, more than one in four of today’s 20-year-olds will experience a disability before reaching retirement age. If your coverage changed with a job change and you didn’t replace it, it’s worth finding out.
A note on insurance reviews: I hold a Florida 2-20 General Lines Insurance license, and before this career I spent ten years advising medium and large businesses on risk management and insurance strategy. I can’t shop or place policies on your behalf — but I’m always willing to review your existing coverage or any quotes you receive. The goal is to help you understand how your coverage interacts with your life, where the gaps are, and where you may be paying for overlaps you don’t need.
Estate Documents: Signed, Current, and Accessible?
Three documents every adult needs. Most people have none of them, or have one but not the others, or have them somewhere in a drawer no one can find.
- A will — directs where your assets go and who cares for minor children
- A durable power of attorney — names someone to manage your finances if you can’t
- A healthcare proxy — names someone to make medical decisions for you
Florida residents may also benefit from a living will, which documents wishes about end-of-life medical treatment. The Florida Department of Financial Services provides guidance on what’s required under state law.
Having the documents isn’t enough. The people named in them need to know they’re named — and they need to know where the documents are. A healthcare proxy who doesn’t know they’re listed can’t act when it matters.
We can help here, too. Whether it’s a conversation to help align your financial plan with wishes you’ve already expressed, talking through ideas and questions to bring to your attorney, or connecting you with an estate attorney we know and respect — the conversation is a good place to start. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Savings Pace: Are You Still On Track?
You’re halfway through 2026. Whatever you set out to save in January — retirement contributions, a specific target, paying down a balance — now is the moment to check whether you’re on pace.
For 2026, the IRS sets the 401(k) contribution limit at $23,500 ($31,000 with catch-up for those 50+). The IRA limit is $7,000 ($8,000 with catch-up). If you’re aiming to reach those numbers, you should be roughly halfway there.
If not, five months of adjusted contributions still compounds meaningfully before year-end. The math works. What doesn’t work is waiting until December.
Here’s what consistent saving looks like over time at a hypothetical 6.5%:
| Timeframe | You put in | Potential value |
|---|---|---|
| 10 years | $12,000 | $16,840 |
| 20 years | $24,000 | $49,042 |
| 30 years | $36,000 | $110,618 |
Now add a zero. Or two. The math scales — and so does the conversation worth having.
Hypothetical illustration only. Assumes $100/month, 6.5% annual return compounded monthly. Does not account for taxes, fees, or investment losses. Actual results will vary. All investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.
Key Takeaways
- Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance override your will — review them after every major life event, and check yours at myaccountviewonline.com.
- Insurance coverage drifts silently. Income changes, home improvements, and job changes can all leave you underinsured without any warning.
- Every adult needs three estate documents: a will, a durable power of attorney, and a healthcare proxy — signed, current, and findable.
- If you’re behind on your savings goal, five months of adjusted contributions still makes a meaningful difference.
- None of this is complicated. It just requires someone to actually look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Log in to LPL Account View at myaccountviewonline.com. If you’re not set up yet, you’ll need your email, phone, last four digits of SSN, and zip code to register. Takes about five minutes. Contact us if you need help getting access.
After every major life event — marriage, divorce, birth, or death of a named beneficiary. At minimum, review annually. These designations override your will, so an outdated name has real consequences.
It depends on their licensing. A Florida 2-20 General Lines Insurance license allows an advisor to review your existing policies and help you understand how coverage aligns with your life — gaps, overlaps, and sizing. They cannot shop or place policies on your behalf. A review is still a valuable starting point.
At minimum: a will, a durable power of attorney, and a healthcare proxy. A living will is also recommended. These need to be signed, notarized, and the right people need to know where they are. We can help you think through this and connect you with an estate attorney if needed.
The 401(k) limit is $23,500 ($31,000 with catch-up for those 50+). The IRA limit is $7,000 ($8,000 with catch-up). Source: IRS.gov. Verify current limits before acting.
Want to talk through any of this?
If any of these four items surfaced a question you don’t know the answer to, that’s a good sign it’s worth a conversation. Schedule 15 minutes — no pressure, no obligation.
Or call: 561-331-6226
Sources
- IRS. “Retirement Topics — Beneficiary.” irs.gov. Accessed June 2026.
- Social Security Administration. “Disability and Death Probability Tables.” ssa.gov. Accessed June 2026.
- IRS. “401(k) Contribution Limits.” irs.gov. Accessed June 2026.
- Florida Department of Financial Services. “Consumer Resources.” myfloridacfo.com. Accessed June 2026.
- FINRA. “Emergency Fund: Why You Need One.” finra.org. Accessed June 2026.
Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. Lyons Resources and LPL Financial are separate entities.
The information in this article is provided for general education and is not intended as personalized investment, tax, legal, or insurance advice. Individual circumstances vary. Please consult a qualified financial advisor, tax professional, attorney, or licensed insurance professional before making decisions based on this content.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Hypothetical illustrations do not represent actual investment results.
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