Estate planning for unmarried or same-sex couples should be a primary concern due to the fewer legal protections available to partners at the end of life and death of the other. State law will often require a written document to execute any pre or post death wishes, making the need for living and attested wills paramount to guarantee the rights one wants the other to have. In addition, couples with children will be better able to dictate post death guardianship of children in the face of potential legal challenges by other relations. Ultimately, clients will best be served if these potential issues and solutions are made clear even if broaching the subject might be awkward for some.
See Kathy Kristof, Unmarried Couples? Use These Planning Strategies, Financial Planning, Apr. 17, 2015.
Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse for bringing this article to my attention.
