The most common marital status today is neither "married", "single", nor "divorced", it is "Remarried".  With so many re-marries, there is a higher chance a client is going to be part of a blended family. Blended family meaning each spouse has children from a previous marriage.

When developing an estate plan, it is paramount you understand how distributions work and what that means for your potential beneficiaries.  For example, a married couple has two children. One child is capable of managing their assets, has a job, no financial issues, and supports their family. The other child, however, is an alcoholic or an addict ...

 The document that dominates most conversations with blended family clients is the Last Will and Testament. Almost every time the question asked is, "If one of us passes, can the other change their will and disinherit my children?". If the only document a couple has is a simple will, then the answer is YES.