About this Episode

In blended families, couples often make wills together that look after the surviving spouse first, then provide for all the children once both have died. The problem: without something more, nothing stops the surviving spouse from later changing their will in a way that cuts out the other partner's children. A mutual will agreement places contractual restrictions on those future changes, so the intentions you agreed on together can't simply be undone after one of you is gone.

In this conversation:

• What a mutual will agreement is
• How it works alongside estate planning for blended families
• How it protects children across a blended family after a spouse dies
• Why it acts like a contract restricting certain future will changes
• How it prevents a surviving spouse from disadvantaging intended beneficiaries

Running time: 55 seconds