Don't Let Your Blended Family "Run Wild": Planning for Blended Families
Dale Tamburro • November 27, 2024

Why Your Unique Family Requires a Customized Estate Plan

The term “blended families” encompasses a diverse range of family dynamics, which makes them so unique.  Many important factors are involved, including prior marriages for each spouse, the cause of the end of a previous marriage, children from those marriages, the residence of prior children, the relative wealth of spouses, and more. However, despite the specific circumstances, blended families present unique challenges in estate planning and inheritance arrangements.

 

I’ve been helping families navigate this process since 1998, and I’ve seen firsthand the intricacies of securing a family’s future, mainly when it includes children from different relationships.

 

Having a family that includes the children from previous relationships can make things more complex because of competing interests or concerns about how some choices might be perceived. Clients often come to me burdened by stories they have heard about spouses unintentionally disinheriting children from previous marriages or assets becoming entangled following a remarriage. This is a legitimate worry but can be prevented with the right estate planning tools. By preparing the proper estate plan, which often includes carefully drafted trusts, we can safeguard your children’s inheritance, irrespective of future changes in your marital status.

 

While proper legal documents are important to addressing blended family issues, solutions can only be reached by professionals who seek to understand the emotional impact, not just the legal impact, of these problematic issues. Left unaddressed, the tensions withing blended families can powerfully influence how family members perceive and receive estate plans. As an estate planning attorney, my role often extends beyond legal advising.

 

In estate planning for blended families, a range of legal tools are utilized to address the unique dynamics and concerns that arise. By employing these legal tools thoughtfully and strategically, estate planning for blended families can effectively address complex family dynamics and provide peace of mind for all involved parties.

 

Every family is unique, and a one-size-fits-all approach does not work for estate planning in blended families. What works for one family many not work for another. That’s why a customized estate plan tailored to your specific situation is essential. My role is to listen, understand, and craft a plan that aligns with your wishes, ensuring all family members are considered and protected even as families change over time.

 

If you’re navigating the complexities of a blended family, please contact us. Whether you are a current client with evolving family dynamics or someone considering estate planning for the first time, a consultation or a review of your current plan can be invaluable and set you on the right path. Together, we can create a plan to protect and provide for your unique family situation, ensuring your family is protected and cared for. Remember, it’s not just about drafting documents; it’s about securing your family’s future with care and foresight.


By Dale Tamburro May 2, 2025
1577 Spring Hill Road, Suite 310, Vienna, VA 22182 | 703-942-5711 | naela@naela.org | www.NAELA.org National Elder Law Month – May May is National Elder Law Month, a time designated by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) which I have been a member for over 25 years, to raise awareness about the legal, health, social, and financial issues faced by older adults and the resources available to support them. As a member of NAELA — the leading professional association dedicated to improving the quality of legal services provided to older adults and individuals with disabilities — I recognize the valuable public service that Law Office of Dale J. Tamburro provides to the residents of towns and cities that I provide seminar and workshops at. In light of our shared commitment to community support, I would like to invite you my seminars in May and June. These events are designed to educate the public on various topics related to elder law. In May we are focusing on Aging in Place, what to consider if you choose to stay home and alternatively if you decide to downsize what are the most important issues to be concerned with. National Elder Law Month is the perfect time for us to work together in raising awareness about these important issues and ensuring that older Americans, their families, and caregivers have access to the information they need. I would love the opportunity to discuss how we can partner on this initiative. Please let me know if you are interested or if you would like more details. I look forward to the possibility of working together to serve our community. Sincerely,  Dale J. Tamburro
By Dale Tamburro April 30, 2025
Owning a vacation home is a special privilege—but deciding what happens to it after you’re gone takes careful planning. Many parents hope to keep the home in the family, but doing so can be more complicated than expected. While meant to be fun and relaxing places to get away from everyday life, vacation houses can cause problems between siblings after their parents pass away. Some siblings may want to use the house, while others may need cash and want to sell. Disagreements can also arise over maintenance costs, taxes, and scheduling use of the home. One common option is to leave the property to your children in your will. However, if they inherit it equally as joint tenants or tenants in common and one sibling wants out, that sibling can force a sale if the others can’t afford to buy them out. Before deciding to pass the home on directly, consider holding a family meeting. Ask your children if they all want to keep the property and discuss logistics such as upkeep, taxes, and scheduling. Putting a written agreement in place, including a buyout plan, can help avoid future disputes. The buyout amount could be less than market value, and payments can be made over time; it's really completely up to the family. Other Options : Instead of giving the home outright, you could place it in a trust or a Limited Liability Company (LLC). LLCs are increasingly being used for vacations homes. Using an LLC allows parents to transfer interest in the LLC to their children while still retaining control. Parents can use the annual gift tax exclusion to slowly gift their children additional interest in the LLC each year. The LLC agreement can designate a property manager, provide instructions on maintenance costs and property taxes, and include buyout options. Property in an LLC is also protected from creditors.  Another option is a Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT), which allows parents to live in the home for a set number of years, after which ownership transfers to the children. QPRTs can offer significant tax savings, but they are complex and must be set up carefully to be effective.