Wills & Estate Planning for Blended Families
Blended families are steadily becoming the new norm in today’s society. Writing a Blended Family Will and Estate Plan can be a complicated process as there are many legal loopholes that most don’t know of until it’s too late. But ORG Solicitors are here to help you navigate all possible scenarios.
- We can help you understand your rights in a blended family
- You can trust us to provide you with honest, valuable advice based on your unique situation
- We will help you to write an estate plan to protect everyone involved
- Look at your circumstances in detail to achieve the best possible outcome
Have a specific question you want answered?
Get in touch with us.
Why choose us to help you with your Blended Family Will & Estate Plan?
Experience In Blended Family Ligitation
Our Estate and Succession Solicitors are reliable, knowledgeable and more than experienced in Blended Family Estate Planning. We can provide peace of mind, trusted advice and support when you need it most.
Represented By Professionals
ORG Solicitors have been helping South East Queenslanders write comprehensive Will & Estate plans since 1932. When you choose us, you’re choosing compassionate professionals you can trust.
Protecting What’s Rightfully Yours
We understand the complexities of protecting your estate and loved ones in a blended family. ORG Solicitors are here to help you navigate all possible scenarios to ensure you get the peace of mind you deserve.
What is a Blended Family Will & Estate Plan?
A blended family is a family consisting of a couple, their shared biological children, and their children from past relationships. This merge may result from separation or divorce but can also result from one spouse passing away and the surviving partner starting a new relationship.
Estate planning is where you legally organise how your assets will be distributed after you pass. Along with superannuation entitlements in blended families, the most significant challenge that blended family couples face when writing a new Will and Estate Plan is the possible conflict of priorities and failing to consider stepchildren’s inheritance rights. For this reason, estate disputes in blended families are not uncommon.
ORG Solicitors can help you to either contest or write complex wills to protect the wishes of the original testator and protect everyone involved.
Common Estate Planning Scenarios For Blended Families
Estate disputes
One spouse possesses more assets than the other. A few years later, they pass away. Because their estate plan had not considered all possible scenarios, their assets are automatically left to the surviving spouse. When this spouse passes away, the stepchildren discover that their stepparent had changed the will to exclude them. In this scenario, they are eligible to put a claim against the estate.
Mutual wills
A couple has prepared a Mutual Will together. One spouse dies and leaves their estate to the surviving spouse. As the family grieves, disputes occur between the remaining members. Because Mutual Wills ensure the surviving spouse can't make changes without the testator's consent, the estate is distributed evenly between the children and stepchildren after the surviving spouse passes away.
Fair distribution
A couple have three adult children from previous relationships. They prepared a will so that if one of them died, the estate is left to the survivor, and on the death of both partners, the estate is to be distributed onto their six children equally. With the family on good terms, these wishes were adhered to.
Free Initial Consultation Or call us on 07 3221 9722
Still not sure? We are here to answer all your questions. Our estate planning lawyers are very experienced in succession law for blended families. You can trust us to guide and advise you with respect and integrity.
Speak with us today to start the process of planning for your blended family.