The UK has recently witnessed a growth in unconventional and diverse families. These more complex family arrangements and the unique challenges that come with them mean that estate planning plays a more pivotal role.
However, clear instructions in wills can help blended families address financial concerns and needs. This can also reduce potential misunderstandings and disputes related to the distribution of assets and personal property.
Blended family dynamics often require a nuanced understanding. Setting up a will for blended families not only helps factor in those sensitive dynamics but also allows you to allocate funds and resources, prioritising important relationships not necessarily in line with intestacy rules. Therefore, blended family wills need to be comprehensive from an inheritance perspective and provide for other aspects, such as guardianship.
Bearing this in mind, we’ll explore a few do’s and don’ts of writing wills for blended families to help you navigate the process of estate planning.
Do: Clearly Define Your Intentions
Wills are legal frameworks meant to help you clarify your wishes concerning the distribution of your estate. However, when it comes to blended families, writing your will in clear and explicit terms can’t be emphasised enough. Any ambiguity in your blended family wills can be misconstrued and taken out of context. It can also further deepen rifts between your blended family members.
Therefore, it’s important to lay out your inheritance wishes plainly and in detail to avoid confusion. This can include terms and conditions regarding when and how beneficiaries can access their inheritance, how the assets are divided between your biological and step-children, or instructions for your spouse to manage your estate impartially.
Don’t: Overlook the Importance of Communication
Clear communication can often set the tone for important discussions when you’re future-planning with a blended family. Though these family discussions can be uncomfortable, it’s important to ensure everyone understands your wishes concerning their place in your estate plan. This can also be an opportunity to iron out any misunderstandings that may arise while writing wills for blended families and assure them of your full support.
Having an open dialogue with your blended family can help you avoid fractured relationships. This gives you a chance to explain the reasons behind your decisions, which can be effective in managing their expectations and helping foster mutual care and respect.
Do: Consider Establishing Trusts
While wills may be effective legal frameworks in your future planning with a blended family, you can always set up a trust as a way to protect and manage your assets better. A trust can be a perfect legal tool that’s especially beneficial for protecting the interests of your blended family.
For example, by having a trust in place with your will, often called a ‘trust will ’, you can appoint an executor and ‘trustees’ as there must always be more than 2 for minor children in your blended family. You can appoint your spouse or a solicitor to be the trustee; they’ll manage the estate until the children are of legal age to access your trust. Setting up a trust can ensure your children receive their inheritance as per your wishes.
Don’t: Ignore the Legal Advice
Writing wills for blended families can sometimes feel like walking on eggshells. It’s also a potentially demanding and overwhelming process. Therefore, it’s important to take sound legal advice and discuss any doubts with an experienced solicitor.
However, when choosing a solicitor for this purpose, it may be worth considering how well they know and understand your blended family.
While it may be helpful to have a lawyer familiar with your blended family, it’s crucial to ensure they’ve demonstrated experience in estate planning with complex family arrangements. This can help you draft your will clearly and smartly navigate any potential tax implications.
Do: Update Your Will Regularly
Human relationships and life itself are in a state of constant flux. Therefore, your future planning with a blended family should account for those changes in your estate plan.
Changes in legal status, births, deaths, marriages or remarriages would all be compelling cases for a will review. Regularly updating your will can ensure that it still aligns with your wishes and the important relationships in your life.
Don’t: Forget to Include Guardianship Decisions
Guardianship is an important aspect of writing wills for blended families. This is especially relevant when you have family members who are minors and wish to provide for them in your estate. It allows you to prepare for their future well-being and do what is in their best interests.
It’s of the utmost importance to take your time when considering your choice of guardian, especially because they’ll be responsible for your children (biological or stepchildren) after you or your spouse/partner pass away.
Choosing a guardian will also include outlining the scope of your potential guardian’s decision-making authority, as well as other instructions that help provide your children with a stable environment.
Choose Zenco Legal to Prepare a Will for Your Blended Family
Blended families are a beautiful mix of diversity and complexity. That said, navigating estate planning with blended families can be a daunting task.
Fortunately, we can simplify this process and help you draft clear wills for blended families, offering you and your loved ones much-needed peace of mind.
At Zenco Legal, we have experienced legal professionals dedicated to helping you with estate planning, keeping the unique needs of your blended family in mind. Whether you’re looking to write a will or set up a trust for your blended family, our legal professionals can help you every step of the way.
For more information on our services, check out our guides or book an appointment now.
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