Blended Families
Estate planning for blended families with stepchildren and multiple marriages. Learn tools to protect spouses, biological children, and stepchildren fairly.
How do I make sure my stepchildren inherit something if my spouse dies first?
Without proper planning, stepchildren typically have no automatic inheritance rights from a stepparent. You can protect stepchildren by creating a trust that provides for your current spouse during their lifetime, then distributes remaining assets to both your biological children and stepchildren. Another option is life insurance with stepchildren named as beneficiaries. Simply relying on your spouse's will isn't enough, since they could change it later or remarry.
