Our firm is proud to assist families of diverse backgrounds, such as blended and non-traditional families, to address their unique planning needs and make the best decisions for their loved ones.
For example, it’s becoming more common that individuals are finding happiness again later in life and entering into second or third marriages with spouses that have their own families as well. In these cases, an estate plan would balance the demands of providing for your first and second families in the precise ways you wish.
It’s also important for those in blended families to have open and transparent conversations with their loved ones during the planning process so that everyone can come together and discuss important and sentimental assets as a family. Including your loved ones in your decision making process can help ensure that your estate plan simply divides assets according to your wishes, and doesn’t divide the family after you’re gone.
Or, perhaps you meet someone after a divorce, but decide not to get married again. It’s still incredibly important to record your wishes in a comprehensive estate plan so both of you are protected. For example, in the event of a medical emergency, appointing your partner as your healthcare power of attorney would allow them to receive all relevant medical information and make critical decisions about your care in the event that you are incapacitated. Without this document, they will be unable to ensure your wishes are honored and may even experience great difficulty receiving basic information about your condition.
In short, if you have a family with a diverse background, the only way to make sure your assets are distributed according to your wishes is through the creation of a thorough estate plan with an experienced estate planning attorney.
As experienced Virginia Beach Estate Planning attorneys, our approach to estate planning is similar to the one we take with respect to elder law and every other area of our practice: We listen closely, get to know you and learn about your most pressing concerns, then we create a plan that addresses every single one of them. Contact us today to learn how we can help you.
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