Estate Planning For LGBTQIA+ Families, Single Parent Households, Other Couples & Individuals

Our office is proud to have been offering estate planning services for (1) LGBTQIA+ families, (2) Single Parent Households, (3) Other Couples & Families, and (3) Individuals since we opened. Our clients include blended families, divorced individuals, cohabitating persons, same-sex couples, single parents by choice, and families with step, adopted, or foster children. We recognize that every client is different. But unlike some law firms, which focus exclusively on the needs of “traditional” two-parent households using a cookie-cutter approach to estate planning, we consider the unique needs of the people we have represented for decades. Whatever the issues, we likely have represented clients with similar concerns and offered solutions designed for them.

Because of the increase in blended families, cohabitating couples, same-sex marriages, and others, only one in three American households fits the definition of a “traditional” family. The other two-thirds are non-traditional families with similar, but often different, estate planning needs. For example, a November 17, 2022 release from the U.S. Census Bureau showed that there were 10.9 million one-parent family groups with a child under 18 in 2022. It also showed there were 37.9 million one-person households, or 29% of all U.S. households, compared with 13% in 1960.

In addition, since the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage, we have assisted gay and lesbian couples who have wed to benefit from estate planning methods that were previously unavailable to them. The landmark decision, and other related legislation, have also made it possible to better protect these clients’ interests in the event of an accident or illness.

Why LGBTQIA+ Families, Single Parent Households, Other Couples & Individuals Should Address Their Unique Estate Planning Needs

There are many reasons for LGBTQIA+ families, Single Parent Households, Individuals & Others to have tailored estate plans:

• You can specify who receives your assets, including who gets what and how much.
• You can specify who does not receive your assets, such as an estranged relative.
• You can specify who you want to take care of and raise your children.
• You can protect your ownership of your family home.
• You can specify who has custody of your minor children.
• You can protect your surviving partner’s right to manage the finances of your family’s minor children in the event of the other partner’s death.
• You can protect the right of family members to make medical decisions for you and your minor children.
• You can protect the right of family members to make financial decisions if one partner becomes incapacitated
• You can protect your wishes about your inheritance and avoid having state law override your wishes.
• You can plan for and minimize challenges and contests by family members who disagree with your decisions.
• You can provide burial instructions and specify who has the right to make decisions when you die.

We Offer Peace of Mind with Our “Pay Once, Revise for Life Estate Planning Program”

With our “Pay Once, Revise for Life Estate Planning Program,” you only pay a fee once – when you initially draft and sign your estate planning documents. We never charge for revisions, so you can feel comfortable calling us to make changes anytime and know that the meter won’t be running.

If you would like to meet with our office or have any other questions, call us at (610) 446-3457, click here to send an email, or fill out the form below.