Modern families are breaking down boundaries and pulling “branches” together and apart too fast for the legal system to figure it out. The original article appeals to the ABC show of the same name, Modern Family. However, a healthy jumping off point comes from the U.S. Census Bureau. It found that in 30% of all marriages at least one spouse had previously been married, bringing along assets, retirement accounts and kids. In other words, there are lots of “blended families” (i.e., families composed of greater and lesser proportions of blood relationship through divorce, remarriage, adoption, and more)! Adding to the complexity, in many portions of the country a modern family may be the result of same-sex marriage and same-sex couples adopting.
If your family tree would take some artistry to draw out – and some of the best ones do – then so too should your estate plans.
So how do you do that? The original article has some ideas, but since your family is unique consider them guidelines. With the assistance of an experienced estate planner you can come to a careful, tailored plan for all of your loved ones.
For more information, please visit my estate planning website.
