If you are planning a second marriage you are likely a bit older and a bit wiser than the first time around. Probably, you wish to avoid past mistakes. Estate Planning for a Second Marriage allows you to apply those hard learned lessons. We are happy to walk you through your options in person, feel free to call us! Meanwhile, here is a short introduction to some typical estate issues that arise when Estate Planning for a Second Marriage.
Spousal Elective Share: If you have not addressed these rights in your Prenuptial Agreement, each state gives a spouse the right to claim a portion of their deceased spouse’s estate.
Intestacy, Having No will at Death: If you have no plan, then your assets pass under the State’s plan. Also, without a Will, there are no protective trusts. Further, your spouse or your children may receive more than you intend, leaving your wishes disregarded. A Will allows you to craft a plan that reflects your real desires. The Intestacy Rules do not take your wishes into consideration.
Estate Planning: Marriage allows spouses to work as a team. Married couples may use Estate Planning methods to shelter assets for the surviving spouse. Further, a married couple can use their status to create protection for children that would not otherwise exist. Estate Planning can protect your surviving spouse, beneficiaries, and heirs; plan for illness or disability; preserve your estate; avoid probate; avoid disputes; making your will “Will Contest proof.” Let’s talk!
Will: Without a Will, the state decides where your assets pass at death. The State provides no protective trusts and disregards your wishes.
Contracts To Will: Married couples can legally bind each other to follow a Will’s terms. Such as, the first spouse has a right to live in the family home, which then passes to the second spouse’s children. See Contracts To Will.
Funeral Arrangements: Disputes erupt between children from first marriages and new spouses regarding funeral arrangements and the location of your burial. Naming the right person or persons to control these decisions can avoid conflict. Create a Funeral Directive.
Financial Power of Attorney:. If you are unable to make decisions for yourself because of some accident or medical issue, who makes your financial decisions? This person may be your new spouse, a child or two people working as Co-Agents. Now that you have remarried, it is time to assess who your trust with this responsibility. Create a Financial Power of Attorney with clear direction on gift powers.
Medical Power of Attorney and Living Will: If you are not competent to make your medical decisions, who decides which doctor treats you or the withdrawal of medical care? Remarriage requires reviewing this power. Your Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney controls who visits you when you are ill as well as who serves as your doctor; select a person who can work well with all family members.
Revocable Trust: For married couples, a Revocable Living Trust has many purposes. To learn more, follow this link to Revocable Trust in depth. But, they are especially useful for those in second marriages who wish to have children from the first marriage involved in overseeing their assets. A Revocable Trust allows you to keep your assets separate from your spouse’s. Further, your retain the right to manage and spend your assets as you wish, but you can allow your child the right to administer the trust independently.
Irrevocable Trust: An Irrevocable Trust is an excellent tool to keep assets you owned before the marriage separated from your new spouse’s assets. Irrevocable Trusts address many different problems.
If you have any questions about Estate Planning for Second Marriages or any other estate planning topics, please contact us to schedule a free consultation. For more than two decades Klenk Law has focused only on Estate Law. We’ve seen it all, and this experience allows us to explain complex estate law and planning techniques clearly and concisely. We make it easy for you to understand Estate Planning so you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family.
Peter Klenk is the founding member of Klenk Law, a seven attorney boutique estate planning law firm. We serve clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Minnesota and Florida. Peter Klenk received his Masters in Taxation LL.M. from NYU Law School and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. He served his country in the Navy JAGC during Desert Storm. Easy to talk to, feel free to call Peter for an appointment. We will make the process as easy as possible!
Peter provided outstanding advice and preparation of a will and trusts.
Peter was excellent. He explained everything very clearly and is super friendly. My wife and I originally tried using a lawyer through group legal coverage, but unfortunately the old adage - "you get what you pay for" - applied to the other lawyer, and we decided to go with a real professional.
When it came down to picking the right attorney to handle my affairs, I knew right away it was this firm. From speaking to their secretary to speaking to Peter I knew I was making the right decision. After only a few mins Peter knew right away what I was looking for and handled all my questions professionally and even gave me great feedback that put my mind at ease. All that without even giving a single penny! So of course I hired him! So far so good...
AWESOME LAWYER! Peter Klenk is an exceptional attorney and a very nice person! Today I spoke with Peter about estate planning and was impressed with by his professionalism, cordiality, and attention to detail. I highly recommend Klenk Law for probates, wills, trusts, and other issues germane to estate planning!
Great friendly staff
Tremendous firm with bright, kind and tenacious people. Great representation for our family.
I'm totally satisfied with Klenk Law. Peter has a great legal mind with the personality of the guy next door.
Everything about my experience was a 10+! Peter and his staff made what I thought would be a difficult process easy and understandable. Every detail was handled correctly. No other firm could possibly do better than Klenk Law!
Peter and his staff are very responsive and always willing to help my clients and in a cost efficient manner.
Like another reviewer, I contacted Peter through his website using the free consultation link, for a question regarding PA inheritance taxes. The question was quite technical and difficult to explain, and the answer was nowhere to be found on the web. Peter grasped precisely what I was asking, and provided a clear, helpful response (with a touch of humor) the very next day.
Answered my question quickly and referred me to a colleague that could handle my problem
Mr. Klenk, quickly understood the circumstances presented and provided clear and concise advice. This advice provided me with the information I required to progress the case to my advantage.
Peter is excellent. I had a very complicated situation with my parents' estate planning and potential Medicaid needs. Peter was very knowledgeable in estate planning matters, able to define the best solution for the situation. Additionally, he was congenial and able to communicate effectively to my senior citizen parents the benefits of estate planning. He earned my trust, and more importantly, my parents' trust in a 45 mins consultation period. Highly recommend Peter. He is very easy to work with.
Peter recently gave a presentation about Wills & Trusts at my employer, and it was fantastic! He was extremely knowledgeable and provided valuable information to the group. People were very engaged and asked several questions, all of which Peter thoroughly answered. Personally, my husband and I have selected Peter to help us with our estate planning, and he has been very helpful in providing us with all of the information we need to provide a secure future for our family. Thank you, Peter!
Peter provided outstanding advice and preparation of a will and trusts.
Peter explained things in a way that was easy to understand. Everything was done in the time frame he said it. Could not have been better!
You & your staff are the best thank you for everything.
Peter and his staff handled all of our needs in a very professional and timely matter.
Peter Klenk made a complex subject understandable and allowed us to move forward with our estate planning. He was patient with our questions and creative in the solutions he proposed.
Peter explained a complex subject very clearly, helped us to decide the best approach to managing our estate and then made it very easy for us to execute the required documents. He will be a valuable resource for years to come and clearly has a great understanding of estate law that will lead to innovative solutions for us. I would unhesitatingly recommend him for estate planning.
Fantastic customer service. Very personable and most importantly they provide great explanations of what is required based on your individual needs. Highly recommend Klenk Law for anyone that needs to create a will and estate documents.
Always professional and very responsive. Everyone on the staff that I have worked with. I look forward to continuing our relationship.
Surprisingly easy
Affable...yet surprisingly cerebral estate planning atty. High marks all the way around.
Peter and his associates made things easy for us.
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