Home » Fundamental Estate Planning » Estate Planning for Blended Families

Estate Planning for Blended Families

Serving Families throughout Southside Virginia, Virginia and the Surrounding Areas

Times have changed. In the new millennium, whether due to the death of a spouse or through divorce, blended families now outnumber traditional nuclear families. And the number is likely to grow, based on current statistics and trends.

Many blended families face unique social, psychological and economic challenges. As a result, over 60% of second marriages end in divorce. Fortunately, there are numerous organizations and support groups dedicated to helping blended families with these challenges.

If you already have an estate plan created when you were “previously” married, then we can help bring it up-to-code to reflect your new wedding vows. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to the critical estate planning challenges confronting blended families. These challenges include disinheriting your ex-spouse and protecting your own children.

Without proper legal planning, your ex-spouse (as surviving parent/guardian) would likely be appointed by the probate court to manage the inheritance you leave to your minor children. To make matters worse, what if your children later predecease your ex-spouse, and are single and childless at that time? Who would inherit your assets then? That is right … your ex-spouse, as the next-of-kin of your children.

Chances are you made a few solemn promises to your new spouse on your wedding day. Among them were promises to be there through thick and thin, personally and financially. In the absence of a premarital agreement to maintain separate assets, most spouses in blended families tend to blend their wealth. For example, they title their respective assets in the names of both spouses and also designate one another as the primary beneficiary of their respective retirement plans and life insurance policies. While we are on the subject of pre-marital agreements; one important thing to also be mindful of in a married couple scenario is that when it comes to nursing home and long-term care based Medicaid later on, a premarital agreement will NOT help protect assets: The assets of BOTH persons are still counted! It is crucial to meet with an experienced elder law attorney when it comes to making sure that assets are protected to know what your options are.

Warning: If you predecease your new spouse, then you may forever disinherit your own children from your share of such blended wealth! Thereafter, upon the death of your new spouse, your assets may be inherited by your stepchildren, or even by your new spouse's next spouse and their children. Yes, things can get complicated – and fast!

Regardless of whether children are reared in a traditional nuclear family or in a blended family, great care should be given to protect any inheritance both for them and from them. For starters, wealth representing a lifetime of your hard work and thrift can be squandered in very short order. Dollars earned just spend differently than dollars inherited. In addition to good old-fashioned squandering, an inheritance can quickly vanish through divorces, lawsuits and bankruptcies.

Fortunately, with proper (and very careful) estate planning, you can both honor your vows to your new spouse and provide an inheritance that is protected for and even from your own children.

Estate Planning and Elder Law Firm Serving Southside Virginia

Areas Served

The Estate & Elder Law Center of Southside Virginia, PLLC serves people with legal needs throughout Virginia, with offices in Bassett, Danville and Lynchburg.

Certified Elder Law Attorney Robert W. Haley and staff are ready to help you with estate planning and medicaid planning. Let our firm put our experience and diligent legal representation to work for you. Contact us today to learn how The Estate & Elder Law Center of Southside Virginia, PLLC can help you.

Book an Initial Call
Speak With Someone
Schedule an available time to speak with us. We look forward to meeting with you!
Book an Initial Call
Client Success Stories
Google Reviews
Danville Virginia Office

742 Main Street,
Danville, Virginia 24541

Bassett Virginia Office

1460 Fairystone Park Hwy,
Bassett, Virginia 24055

Lynchburg Virginia Office

810 Main Street, (3rd Floor of the Truist Building)
Lynchburg, Virginia 24504

Integrity Marketing Solutions - Estate Planning Marketing
Powered by
magnifiercrosschevron-down