Happy New You!

Bren Sheriff
Bren Sheriff


Happy New You!

As 2025 comes to a close, many of us are ready to turn a new leaf and pray that all that was broken this year will be fixed in 2026. The losses, the uncertainty, the fatigue of it all—it has been a lot. But a new year does not require us to carry old burdens forward. It invites us to travel lighter. As we step into 2026, especially those of us who have experienced the coming and going of many years, it may be time to rethink not just what has happened to us—but what is still possible through us.

During this holiday season I remember a common phrase spoken by my elders back in the day, “Just keep living…”.  It was the catchall phrase used when elders were pitching words of wisdom that younger folks just didn’t or couldn’t catch.  In instances like these, my mom, who had a gazillion sayings, would say, “You can’t put old heads on young shoulders.”  Truer words have never been spoken when I recall a refrain from an old hymn, “You will understand it better, by and by.”

Getting older has a way of clarifying life. We begin to recognize what truly matters and what never did. We grow less interested in nonsense and more committed to meaningful things in our lives. Yes, as we age, we should become wiser, understanding life better, “by in by.” Yes, with age should come a wisdom meant to be shared—not hidden, dismissed, or underestimated.  It is something that many of us cherish as “legacy” from elders we listened to, loved, and pass on their words of wisdom, “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:9)

Tradition says that laughter is the best medicine, and it has also been said that sometimes we must laugh to keep from crying.  Well, I want us to start the new year off with a light joyful spirit, “…a time to weep, and a time to laugh;” (Eccl 3:4). We have a legacy of being a joy filled people because we, “…calleth those things which be not as though they were.” (Rom 4:17) “For we walk by faith, not by sight:” (2 Corin 5:7) Keeping this in mind is an affirmation of our faith, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

Maya Angelou offered a simple truth: “When you know better, you do better.” Aging gives us the gift of knowing better—about ourselves, our families, our values, and our responsibilities. That knowing invites us to do better in quiet, meaningful ways: organizing our affairs, naming our wishes, and having conversations that bring peace rather than confusion. Estate readiness, at its heart, is love made practical.  Especially, when the family is brought together to lay out their plans to establish a legacy for generations to come. “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children:” (Prov 13:22)

Perhaps the actions for all of us to commit to this new year are simple, but not easy:

to forgive,
to release one old habit of delay,
to begin one conversation that brings clarity,
to put one matter in order,
to show up—once again—for your own life.

New years are like reading a good book, one chapter ends and a new chapter begins. Accept 2026 as the year of your life’s fix, let it be the chapter in your life where life’s meaning deepens, your purpose sharpens, and your story finally sounds like you are letting your own voice and actions speak power to your life’s meaning now.  Happy New You!!!

My best to you and yours, Happy New Year!

Bren Sheriff, CSA

THIS WEEK’S QUIZ: Which costs more over time—professional estate planning fees today, or unresolved family disputes after death?

Answer to last week’s quiz: Estate Planning matters because:

-The law – not your children- decides without documents.

-Probate is costly, slow, and public.

-Good intentions don’t override legal structure.

-Sibling dynamics may change under financial stress.

-Taxes and inefficiencies can quickly and quietly erode wealth.

-Your children may be unprepared or unwilling to do what needs to be done to protect you and your assets.

Bottom line: 

Estate planning is not about mistrusts – it’s about control, clarity, and cost containment. A modest plan today can preserve assets, reduce stress, and protect family harmony tomorrow.

For Questions or Help: 773-817-0601 or basheriff1@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The illustrations presented in this column are not, nor are they intended to be, legal, financial, or any other licensed professional advice, you should contact the licensed professional of your choice for advice on your individual situation.


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