Estate Planning helps you decide how your estate or personal belongings are managed upon your death. With today's "blended family" lifestyle, it's common to find that step kids can easily slip through the cracks of estate disbursement if not properly handled. The reason is that typical family beneficiary refers to those within your immediate bloodline. So what options do you have to protect your new family?

• Consider Adopting Your Step-Children – Adoption legally writes the child into your bloodline so if you die and any beneficiaries refer to your spouse and children, the step-children are also included in "children" otherwise it will default to your blood relatives only.
• Review Beneficiaries on All Accounts – It's best to review the listed beneficiaries on all your financial accounts on a periodic basis to be sure they're accurate – especially if divorced. You may want to make sure your new spouse is covered and list all of your children on the forms to ensure those whom you feel are necessary, are included.
•  Establish a Living Trust - Another option is to set-up a Living Trust where you'll have more control on the disbursement of all parties. This allows you to be specific with who gets what instead of blanket equal among all parties.

To get further assistance with a Living Trust or if you have questions on financial beneficiaries, give us a call and we'll be happy to answer your questions or assist you.