Will for Blended Family is drawn up when when two partners come together with one or both partners having children from a previous relationship.

Your Download Includes:

Joint WIll (7 pages)

Will Signing Instructions

Free Legal Drafting Booklet to help guide you through the process.

A will for a blended family is a legal document that outlines the distribution of assets and the care of minor children after the death of one or both parents in a family where one or both spouses have children from previous relationships. Blended families can present unique challenges in estate planning, as there may be competing interests between the surviving spouse, biological children, and stepchildren.

1. Fair and Balanced Distribution:
   • It’s important to clearly define how assets will be distributed among biological children, stepchildren, and the surviving spouse. This might involve equal distribution, or it could mean setting aside specific assets for biological children or the surviving spouse.
2. Providing for the Surviving Spouse:
   • You might want to ensure that your surviving spouse is taken care of while also protecting the inheritance of your biological children. This could be done through a life estate, where the spouse has the right to live in a home for the rest of their life, with the property then passing to the children after the spouse’s death.
3. Trusts:
   • Trusts can be particularly useful in blended families.
   • A family trust can also be set up to benefit both the surviving spouse and children, with specific rules on how and when distributions are made.
4. Guardianship of Minor Children:
   • If there are minor children involved, it’s crucial to specify who will become their guardian if both parents pass away. This can be particularly complex in blended families if there are children from different relationships.