Divorce and Estate Planning

These days, divorce is a fairly common occurrence. And here in southern California, celebrity divorce is a frequent topic in all forms of media. Singers, actors, rappers, athletes…unhappy couples are announcing their split-ups practically every day. News of the imminent divorce of one such globally famous couple, Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas, is one of the most recent stories to appear. Their marriage lasted nearly 20 years, with a family including a daughter plus two other children from Ms. Griffith’s previous marriages to actors Don Johnson and Steven Bauer. So, to continue our movie star-themed topic, next on stage will most likely be divorce lawyers plus, in supporting roles as needed, family attorneys and perhaps tax attorneys, to work out legal issues between the divorcing spouses. Divorces can get quite complicated, especially when many residences, assets, business interests, and children factor in. You don’t need to be a celebrity to need legal help with a divorce. This is no time for an estate planning attorney to wait in the wings, either! In fact, your estate plan should also take center stage because one very important aspect of a divorce is the need for updates to both parties’ plans. Simply put: when your life changes with the termination of a marriage, you may want and/or need to update your designations in your will, trusts, and other testamentary documents that currently include your soon-to-be-ex-spouse. For example: Life changes of all kinds happen, whether we anticipate them or not. Should you be considering, or if you have recently, experienced a change in your marital or family status, it is essential to update, or get started on, an up-to-date estate plan that reflects these changes. The help of an experienced estate planning attorney can be your most valuable resource. Have questions? I have the experience and dedication to help you resolve your estate planning concerns. Let’s set up a time to talk, at your convenience. You can reach us at 818.956.9200. Glendale Location 616 E. Glenoaks Boulevard, Suite 203 Glendale, CA 91207 Sherman Oaks Location 15303 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 900 Sherman Oaks, CA 91403