Family Estate Planning Attorney in Spring, Texas
What are some of the challenges of estate planning for blended families?
What are some of the challenges of estate planning for blended families?
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So it’s funny because whenever I meet with blended families they almost always tell me, you know, Christine, it took us two years to get to a point where we’re sitting in the chair talking to you. And so I would say the biggest challenge is just the hesitancy to plan and so that’s why a lot of blended families fail to plan, number one. Number two, I think a lot of clients feel like, you know, I’ve got to develop this plan before I go see a lawyer and tell the lawyer what my plan’s gonna be. And so I would just inform the public out there, you don’t have to have a plan before you come see your lawyer, that’s what coming and seeing your lawyer is all about. That’s why they call us counselors because we help you work through the development of your estate plan so that, you know, it’s something that you can be happy and proud of.
We know you want to leave an important lasting legacy to your family and we help you develop an estate plan that will meet that goal. And so I would say, you know, overcoming the hesitancy to plan. The second, I guess challenge, is the client feeling like they need a plan before they come in. And then the third thing I would say is that, you know, if you’re a blended family you really need to come in and plan because it’s – Texas has a plan already for you if you don’t have the plan yourself, and I think a lot of people are surprised to realize that in a blended family when a person passes away and they’re married and they have children outside the marriage, their half of the community estate passes to their children and not to the spouse.
And so, so many clients are surprised to hear that and they’re thankful that they came in and talked to an attorney. So for those blended families out there, it’s important to visit with an attorney and there are a lot of really great attorneys experienced with blended families in the state of Texas.
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Spring, TX estate planning & probate attorney Christine Butts discusses the challenges of estate planning for blended families. She often notices a common theme when meeting with blended families: almost every client tells her that it took them years just to get to the point of sitting in her office. She explains that the biggest challenge is often the hesitancy to plan, which is why many blended families delay or even fail to create an estate plan.
Another challenge she sees is that clients sometimes feel they need to have a fully developed plan before coming to see a lawyer. She emphasizes that this isn’t necessary. Part of her role as an attorney—and why lawyers are often called counselors—is to guide clients through the development of their estate plan. She helps them build a plan they can feel confident about, one that reflects their wishes and legacy.
She works with families who want to leave a meaningful and lasting legacy, helping them create an estate plan that achieves that goal. For blended families in particular, she stresses the importance of coming in to plan because Texas law has default rules that apply if a person does not create their own plan. Many clients are surprised to learn that, in a blended family, when someone passes away while married but has children from outside the marriage, their half of the community estate may pass directly to their children rather than the surviving spouse.
These revelations often leave clients grateful that they sought legal guidance. She encourages blended families to meet with an experienced attorney, noting that there are many skilled lawyers in Texas who specialize in working with blended families. Planning ahead ensures that the family’s wishes are honored and that potential surprises are avoided.
