According to one estimate, about a quarter of all marriages and nearly two-thirds (63%) of remarriages involve stepchildren. No matter how loving and successful, such arrangements often pose unique personal and financial challenges that may only intensify as wealth transfers from one generation to the next. For these reasons, careful estate planning, while highly recommended for any family, is especially vital for blended ones.

If you’re wondering what the 7 steps in the estate planning process are, you’re not alone. Thousands of people are searching for answers every day, looking for simple and straight-forward estate planning tools and free estate planning advice. Let’s walk through the 7 steps of estate planning, simplified for families like yours.

Anyone in the US can create a will on their own using online estate planning tools. As long as the will meets your state’s rules, like being written, signed, and witnessed properly, it is legally binding. But here is the problem: most people don’t know all the little details that matter. And missing just one can lead to big problems later on.

There is an increasing population of single people without children – and they realize they need an estate plan. These people can be successful individuals who don’t have a spouse or child to leave their assets. If you are a part of this demographic, here are some tips...

Blended families are incredibly common, and this term encompasses a vast array of family situations. Very often, however, blended families involve a marriage in which one or both spouses have children from a prior relationship. Sometimes the couple also has children in common, but this is not always the case. Because families are all different and the term blended family can mean so many things, the standard estate planning documents may not be enough to satisfy your plann

After losing a spouse or longtime partner, it’s difficult to look past your grief. However, it’s crucial to understand the important and timely decisions you must make regarding your finances and personal estate plan. Estate planning is an ongoing process, as it accounts for changes in marriages, deaths, divorces, and births of children and grandchildren. Assuming your spouse left an updated estate plan before their passing can have disastrous consequences.