How to Choose an Estate Planning Attorney Near Me

More and more families in the United States live every day in “non-traditional” configurations, and we have absolutely moved forward in expanding the definition of what family means. When it comes to estate planning, however, the process can be trickier if your family does not fit into the classic mold of two married opposite-sex parents and two biological children. 

Did you know that it can also be more critical that you get the right estate planning tools in place to ensure your family may be provided for in the manner you desire down the road? If you have ever been divorced or had a child with a partner other than your current spouse, and you still have minor children, it may be important to choose an estate planning attorney in your local area who has experience with blended families to guide you through the process.

One of the most important criteria in choosing an estate planning attorney if you are divorced or re-partnered, may be finding an attorney who can assist you in making arrangements for both your new partner and your minor children. Typically, married parents leave everything they have to the other parent, trusting that this person will use the money to care for their children.

Some blended families are “yours, mine, and ours” configurations wherein one or both parents have children from a prior marriage. Additional biological children may be born into the new marriage. Some single parents have their own households, while others live with extended family who develop close relationships with their children that are parent-like in nature.

If you are not married to your child’s other parent, and you are in any of these situations, finding an estate planning attorney in your area who has experience beyond cookie-cutter configurations can be important to make sure the right financial arrangements are structured. In any situation where you are no longer married to your children’s other parent, making sure that your children are financially safe can require you to name a custodian for any money they will inherit as minors. Unless you are extremely amicable, most single parents would not choose their ex-partner as this custodian, even if the children would ultimately live with that person due to legal custody arrangements. 

Through estate planning you can choose your current partner, a grandparent, or any friend or relative you trust to manage your children’s inheritance. It can be important to choose someone. The right estate planning attorney for you will guide you in making this choice.

For assistance in estate planning and related matters, our office is here to help. Please reach out to us to schedule a meeting.