Examining Your Will After a Later Life Divorce in Virginia (Part B)

If you're a Virginia woman facing a later life divorce, you have a lot to consider. A later life divorce is a time of transition, and you will have to review and change many parts of your life during this challenging time. For instance, depending on your age, you may need to make allowances for your children. Setting up trusts in their names is always a good idea but to do so, you'll need legal, written documents, such as a will.

Your estate planning documents are among the many things that should be addressed after your later life divorce. Your new single status presents a different picture of the future, and it's common for that picture to warrant specific changes. For instance, in addition to your will, you'll need to review any documents to make sure they no longer include your ex, such as powers of attorney, 401Ks and IRAs.

A Virginia divorce automatically makes some changes to a person's will, and in some states, divorce renders the entire will invalid. You may very well end up having to draw up an entirely new will if you want your wishes to be carried out. To find out how you can best approach this task, you can bring up the matter to your Virginia divorce attorney, who will likely have some good recommendations for you.

Wills and Procrastination

Procrastination is a major roadblock when it comes to getting your wills taken care of after a later life divorce. In general, estate planning isn't something most people want to deal with. In order to think about your will, you have to think about your own mortality, which isn't a pleasant exercise for anyone. This is particularly true when you've just gotten a Virginia divorce.

During the post-divorce period, you may be feeling stressed out and/or depressed and avoiding anything that might make you feel worse. Conversely, you may be enjoying being single and looking forward to a new start, and not want to be reminded that life won't go on forever.

Either way, procrastination after your Virginia divorce isn't the answer. If you need to make changes in your estate planning documents, it's best to get it taken care of, especially when you have guidance from your Virginia divorce attorney to point you in the right direction.

Estate planning won't end your life any sooner, it will be a step toward taking care of the people you love, and the peace of mind it will bring will help you more fully enjoy this next chapter in your life.

Contacting a Virginia Divorce Attorney

Throughout your divorce proceedings, you'll naturally have a lot of questions specific to your circumstances. Get your questions answered by requesting one of our FREE divorce guides for women, or reserving your seat at our monthly divorce seminar - 757-425-5200.

The Virginia divorce attorneys at Hofheimer Family Law Firm are committed to fighting for your rights, assisting in child custody disputes, and advocating that you receive everything you are entitled to and need in order to start your new life.