Newport Beach Irrevocable Trust Attorney
Proper estate planning for blended families is critical and must address and anticipate potential issues, problems and concerns that are unique to the circumstances in which there is a second marriage and/or children from different marriages. These issues are not adequately addressed by a simple estate plan drafted for a couple in a long-term marriage whose only children are children of the marriage.
If you have divorced and remarried, it is imperative that your estate plan be reviewed and revised, if necessary, by an experienced estate planning attorney. A number of issues may arise in the context of a blended family that should be properly addressed:
- Protection of your biological children: One potential danger in a blended family is that a spouse may favor his or her biological children over a stepchild after the death of the first spouse. If your estate is set up to pass everything to your spouse at the time of your passing, are there provisions in place that protect your children's interests in their share of your estate? Through proper estate planning, you can ensure that your spouse is adequately provided for during his or her lifetime and still protect your children to ensure they receive their fair share at the appropriate time.
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Anticipating a change in relationships after death: Regardless of how well blended family members get along while both spouses are alive, those relationships often change when one spouse dies. Relationships between stepparents and stepchildren can become distant and/or strained. Unspoken resentments or disagreements may come to light only after the death of one of the spouses. A properly drafted estate plan will anticipate and help to reduce or minimize these problems and the devastating consequences that often result from poor planning.
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Disputes and litigation: When family members feel they have been wrongfully excluded or shortchanged from their fair share of the estate, they may initiate a will or trust contest. On the other hand, sometimes stepchildren simply don't like or agree with the plan that husband and wife created and mutually agreed upon. A properly drafted estate plan will protect the deceased spouse's children against unintended disinheritance and protect the surviving spouse against overzealous interference by disgruntled stepchildren.
For help with all of your estate planning needs, contact the Velasco Law Group. Since our attorneys practice exclusively in estate planning, probate, asset protection, trust administration and related matters, we are able to provide our clients with the sophisticated legal support they require.
Contact Us
To speak with one of our Long Beach estate planning lawyers, call 562-912-2175 or contact us by e-mail. To provide convenient, local representation to our clients, we have law offices in Long Beach and Newport Beach, California.
