Important Consideration for Blended Families: Including or Excluding Stepchildren

Blended families are increasingly common in the modern family tree, but without proper planning, stepchildren can become the forgotten children after a stepparent passes away. Families may assume that stepchildren are automatically included as beneficiaries, especially if there were co-mingled finances between the parent and stepparent or if there was a long-standing relationship between the stepparent and stepchild.   Unfortunately, neither are true. For some families, this may come as a relief if they had intentionally planned to exclude their stepchildren (or other step-relatives), but in other cases, this can be devastating. In Pennsylvania, stepchildren have no legal right to inherit under intestacy law. Period. 

I recently spoke with a woman whose stepfather of nearly forty years passed away without a Will.  He had no living spouse, children, siblings or parents, only her. Despite the fact that they held themselves out as father and daughter by heart, she is not his child legally.  She is left with nothing. This outcome is purely due to the absence of an estate plan. 

Don't leave your legacy to chance.  If you or someone you love is in a blended family and wants to ensure their wishes are honored, estate planning is essential.

An experienced estate attorney can help guide you through your options and ensure your Will reflects who you consider family. 

To schedule an initial estate planning appointment, visit our Appointments page.