Blended families begin when parents with children from prior relationships get married. They create a larger blended family unit that contains stepchildren and stepparents, as well as stepsiblings. That new family unit may be fragile, especially in cases where circumstances change drastically. If either parent dies, disputes about the estate they leave behind could tear the family apart.
Thorough estate planning soon after marrying can help to protect the new blended family unit.
What preparation is necessary?
First and foremost, those estate planning for a blended family need to make decisions about what inheritance they want to provide their spouses, what support their children may require and whether they want to leave an inheritance for their stepchildren. They may need to draft a will or create a trust in cases where they anticipate a dispute between their children and their spouse about major resources.
They may also want to establish advance directives to assist the family in case they experience a debilitating medical emergency. Powers of attorney can empower a trusted individual other than children or a spouse to manage financial and medical matters in an emergency, thereby limiting the strain on the family unit.
Advance health care directives can help clarify an individual’s medical preferences, which can help prevent disputes between children and stepparents about what interventions are appropriate. Discussions with the family about the plans so that everyone knows what to expect are also critical for the prevention of probate conflict within a newly blended family unit.
Reviewing existing estate planning paperwork and the changes to the family unit with an estate planning attorney can help parents in a blended family ensure the coherence of the family in the event of an emergency or after their passing. Appropriate documents limit opportunities for conflict and can help stabilize a new family unit accordingly.
