For many years same-sex couples were forced to be estate planning savvy in order to ensure the other partner received an inheritance or had influence over medical decisions and the like. But with same-sex marriage now legal, many of these old hazards have been sidestepped due to the basket of rights that come along with institution. However, some are now faced with the fallout from being forced to use alternative estate planning particularly couples that used adult adoptions to create a familial relationship. In addition, many older couples have no children to help provide late in life care and estate management which has forced many to seek out family members and friends to help. Lastly, fear of exposure in a community has kept many couples from getting married which means they still require the more difficult, but also private, legal route to establish mutual rights. As a result of these issues, and others, same-sex couples planning an estate should seek specialized advice that can fully inform the couple on what they need to be protected.
See Encarnacion Pyle, Older same-sex couples face specific challenges, The Columbus Dispatch, March 13, 2016.
