Estate planning for blended families

Blended families are an increasingly common aspect of modern life, with around 32% of marriages involving one partner who has remarried and an estimated 1.1 million children living in stepfamily households. Navigating the legal and emotional complexities of separation, divorce, remarriage, or civil partnerships can be particularly challenging when clients have minor or adult children from previous relationships.

This webinar aims to help practitioners understand the key considerations when advising clients in these situations, equipping them to provide guidance at critical moments, minimise conflict, and support clients in managing the complexities of step and blended family arrangements.

Topics covered include:

• What is a blended family?
• Children and blended families
  • Parental responsibility
  • Adoption orders
  • Liability for supporting step-children
  • Recognition of parents: adoption, foster parents, and other relationships
• Finances and blended families
• Inheritance of step-children:
  • Intestacy rules
  • Will considerations, such as mirror and mutual wills
  • Guardianship of minor children
  • Property rights
  • Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
  • Grounds to challenge will after death of biological parent
• Ensuring assets pass down the ‘family line’ after death:
  • Lifetime trusts
  • Declaration of trusts
  • Lifetime gifts
  • Tenants in common
  • Lasting Power of Attorney