As a Florida senior, are you considering remarriage? However, should there be estate planning considerations for your adult children once you remarry? As a senior adult you have experienced many important events like marriages, births, divorces, deaths, and separations and they play an important role in your daily life. While you think in depth about the ins and outs of each of these occasions, should you think about them in the context of your Florida estate planning?
As you think about your remarriage, were you aware that statistics tell us that for 55 year olds, and older, the remarriage rate has grown from 24 percent in 1960 to 57 percent in 2013? This is now more than any other age group. As you plan for your future nuptials, have you considered how your remarriage will impact your estate plan, including your planning for your adult children? Do you want to be sure the assets from your first marriage are available to them when the time comes that you are no longer here? Below are some considerations for you to think about when it comes to protecting your adult children in a second marriage.
- Take into consideration your existing asset structure and protect it. With seniors remarrying more often, they are usually the age group that has more assets coming into a remarriage. So when we remarry later in life, there are probably more assets to consider planning for. A senior adult may have assets ranging from homes, vehicles, and personal tangible goods, to retirement accounts, savings, life insurance policies, and brokerage accounts. Of course you will want to be sure the adult children of your first marriage are the recipients of your assets. When you work with your experienced Florida estate planning attorney she will be able to show you careful planning considerations for your estate plan and may recommend a prenuptial agreement. This agreement can lay a foundation for understanding your goals for your previously owned assets at the time you entered into your marriage, and protect your existing adult children.
- Take into consideration a thoughtful plan for both your new spouse and your adult children. When you create your estate plan you are creating a legacy. Rest assured, even with a prenuptial agreement, that you can plan for both your new spouse and your adult children. You can discuss with your Florida estate planning attorney creating a last will and testament or trust agreement that details the distribution of specific assets you want your new spouse or your adult children to receive.
- Take into consideration the laws of your state. You should know that the state Florida rules will apply. Your spouse must receive the elective share, in Florida it is roughly thirty percent of your estate, unless you plan around this in advance in your prenuptial agreement. This could include at least a life estate of your home and other assets. If your primary goal is to provide for your adult children of a previous marriage you will want to work closely with your Florida estate planning attorney to make this a reality.
- Take into consideration open communication about your estate planning goals. Many of our clients want to keep their goals for their legacy private for as long as possible, however, open communication in this area may be critical to avoiding future legal challenges. If you are comfortable, discuss your goals with your new spouse as well as your adult children. Consider including them in your meetings with your Florida estate planning attorney so everyone knows, and has time to both adjust and respect, your wishes.
We know this article raises more questions than it answers. Elder and Estate Planning Attorneys, PA, is a law office small enough to provide personal service but large enough to provide service in Jupiter, as well as Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River Counties in Florida. Our law firm will guide you through legal challenges involving elder law, estate planning, trusts, veterans benefits, real estate, and more. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting with our attorneys.