Updating a Will After Death of a Spouse

Updating a Will After a Death of a Spouse

It is difficult to comprehend the agony that comes with the death of your spouse. The years after the passing of your husband or wife are equally crucial. The surviving partner will encounter many decisions in the coming months and years. These decisions should not be made alone. The individual should begin the hiring process for an estate planning attorney immediately and determine if their deceased spouse has a trust set up. Contacting an estate planning attorney is crucial if they do not have a will or estate plan.

A living trust appoints a successor who will deal with your estate at the time of your death or if you become incapacitated. Many people set up trusts to prevent their estate from going into probate (a court process in which a person will legally be appointed to represent the deceased) and other complications. Attorney Paul Jeddeloh will be sure you have all of your bases covered in your legally binding trust. Updating the Will after your spouse’s passing is urgent and should be taken seriously.

What to do when there is no estate plan in place

In cases where there is not an estate plan in place, the surviving partner should contact an estate planning attorney and communicate their situation. Then have an estate plan attorney thoroughly plan out and create the estate plan. Once the estate plan is completed, you can inspect and revise the estate plan as you see necessary.

After revising your estate plan, you can write explicitly in your plan that your kids or next of kin will receive the estate plan/Will after your passing. Unless there has been an estate plan set up before your spouse’s death, the surviving spouse is entitled to make decisions concerning the estate. If this is the case, then the surviving spouse should still contact an estate planning attorney to have the guidance of an attorney to ensure the surviving spouse is protected by law.

Need to update your will?

If you need to make changes to a will after the death of a spouse, contacting an estate planning attorney will make the process easy and painless. Do not go through the process alone. Attorney Paul Jeddeloh will help guide you through every stage of the process. Specializing in all areas of elder law and estate planning, he has earned the reputation of being a trusted and experienced attorney. Contact Paul today!