Estate Planning Considerations

Before the Divorce: You may have an estate plan or will that gives your entire estate and life insurance to your spouse if you die. This plan does not necessarily change because someone files for divorce. Talk to your lawyer about what changes, if any, you need to make and are able to make in your estate plan while the divorce is pending.

Not only should you review your will, you should review the beneficiary designations for your life insurance and retirement plans, including IRAs, and discuss with your lawyer what changes, if any, to make. If you are holding property with your spouse in a form that would give it all to your spouse on your death, you may want to change the form of title.

There may be restraining orders that temporarily limit your right to change title to property or beneficiaries of insurance and death benefits.

After the divorce: In some states a divorce will automatically change your estate plan. In other states it won't. So when the case is over, update your estate plan to be consistent with the judgment and with what you want to happen to your estate.