Understanding Estate Planning When You Have A Blended Family

Many people have happy blended families today. Step-families can share as much love as biological families. However, there is one place where blended families can become more complicated: estate planning. No matter how much you love your step-family, you might find it difficult to wade through this territory when you plan for the future. These tips will help you maintain relationships while also planning for your children and the future:

Be As Thorough As Possible

You need to understand how important it is to be thorough. You must ensure that each asset is taken care of so that you do not leave anything that can be questionable. Any room for interpretation can lead to a difficult situation for all involved. You need to be as explicit as possible about your desires, and you should list what you want to happen in the event that you pass before your spouse or if you pass at the same time.

Talk To Your Spouse

When you pass, you may not want a lot of surprises. It is a smart idea to speak with your spouse before you put into writing any specific decisions about your wishes for the future. Transparency can save people a lot of heartbreak after you pass, and it may quell some of the family drama that tends to erupt.

Take Stock of Your Documents Regularly

It is always a good idea to take stock of your legal documents, especially after any major life event. Read over your estate documents to ensure that everything is in order. You should always look at your documents after a marriage, birth, divorce, death, or adoption; any of these events can change the course of your blended family's future.

Don't Try to Do It Alone

Before you even get married, it is a good idea for you and your spouse-to-be to meet with an attorney to determine what you can do to ensure that each person's needs are attended to. With an attorney, you can determine what is fair and what will be legally manageable for both you and your new spouse. There are a lot of intricate details to work out, so now is a good time to figure out the details together.

Want to know more about estate planning when you have a blended family? Now is a great time to speak with an estate planning attorney to see what steps you can take today to move forward. You can contact professionals like those at Skeen Law Offices for more information.

About Me

A Little Legal Know-how Helps Everyone in Life

When I was a child and people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always told them I wanted to be a lawyer. I even followed an attorney one day during a school job shadowing experience. I really found the law interesting, and my favorite shows to watch were, and still are, court shows. However, when it came time to choose a major in college, I chose another career path that I now enjoy. However, I still love law and do some legal research on a regular basis just for fun. I decided that it would be a shame to let all of my legal knowledge "go to waste" by not sharing it with others, so I decided to start a blog to share my legal tips on along with some interesting legal cases and stories. I hope you come back often!

Search

Categories

Latest Posts

12 September 2024
Dealing with the loss of a loved one is never easy, and navigating the probate process on your own can be overwhelming. This is where a probate attorn

12 July 2024
Getting a traffic ticket can be a frustrating and stressful experience. Not only do you have to deal with the inconvenience of paying fines and potent

17 May 2024
A dog bite can be a harrowing ordeal, resulting in physical harm, emotional turmoil, and financial strain. While seeking legal action may not be your