Probate is the process used to ask a judge (usually a probate court judge) to approve a decedent’s will so the instructions in the will can be acted upon.

You should sign a Medical Treatment Consent Form for each of your children that will allow a caretaker to seek medical treatment for your children while you are gone.  The authority can be restricted to make sure the caretaker can only seek medical treatment that is absolutely essential; the effective date of the form can also be matched exactly to the time period you will be on vacation.

Although each situation varies, and there are many factors to consider, you may want to set up a special needs trust to provide for your child. A special needs trust may be a useful tool for a disabled individual who is receiving, or will receive, government benefits.

Blended families – those in which one or both spouses have children from a prior relationship – are becoming more and more common. Estate planning for blended families is complex, especially if one spouse is significantly older than the other, or if one spouse has much more money than the other.