Estate Planning for the Blended Family

By Libby Banks, The Law Office of Libby Banks, PLLC

In first marriages, a couple generally have identical goals for their estate planning: take care of the surviving spouse for as long as he or she lives, then distribute what’s left to their children.

But second marriages can be different. The blended family – his children, her children and sometimes their children as well – makes for more complicated planning. Each spouse may have separate assets as well as their joint, community assets. Both usually want at least some of their assets to go to their own children after they die. At the same time, they want to make sure the surviving spouse has enough to live on.

With a blended family, a couple has to put a plan in place if they want to be sure their goals are met. This won’t happen automatically.

Think about one of the most famous blended families – the Brady Bunch. What happens if Carol and Mike have all their assets in joint tenancy and don’t have a will or trust? If Mike is the first to die, Carol will get all the couple’s joint assets. But then what happens when Carol dies? Without a will or trust, state law steps in. Arizona law says that Carol’s children get her assets. That means the three girls get everything, and Mike’s boys are left out. I’ll leave it to your imagination whether those girls are going to share the wealth. If Mike and Carol want to divide everything between all six of the kids, they need a plan to assure that will happen.

Mike and Carol may want to be sure that the survivor of them is well cared for, but they also want to be sure their own kids share in what’s left after they are both gone. They can plan for this in their trust. The trust can provide that some of their assets go to an irrevocable trust at the first spouse’s death. The surviving spouse is the beneficiary during his or her lifetime. The trust, however, says where the assets left in the trust go when the survivor passes, and the survivor can’t change that. This way the first spouse to die is assures that there are assets distributed to his or her children when the second passes.

There are many factors going into estate planning for the blended family. However, most couples do have one common goal, which is doing the right thing for everyone involved: themselves, their spouse, their children, and their spouse’s children. A good estate planning attorney can help put together a plan that accomplishes your goals. We offer a free initial consultation. Just call us at (602) 375-6752 and check out our website, libbybanks.com.

Our Estate Planning in Phoenix and Scottsdale is highly customized to meet your unique family situation, assets, values, and personal goals. Our complimentary first meeting allows you to get to know our Estate Planning team and talk about your unique situation and what plan will best fit your needs.

Remember, when you choose us you are not only hiring someone to prepare your Estate Plan, you are choosing a seasoned Estate Planning attorney to guide you through this often complex process and raise questions you might not have considered. You are choosing an experienced team to create a plan that serves your family in the way that you want and, after you are gone, a trusted advisor that your loved ones can depend on.

Come see us in our new, convenient office located just down the street at 5010 E. Shea Blvd, Suite 205 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 602.375.6752 | www.libbybanks.com | libby@libbybanks.com

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