Many Georgia residents are waiting until they are older to get married, perhaps age 40, 50 or beyond. There are many reasons people say they’re choosing to wait to get married until later in life. Getting married at age 55 is definitely different than getting married at age 25. The older spouses are, the more critical it is for them to discuss estate planning as they transition into married life.
Someone who marries at an older age might already have executed a last will and testament. It is imperative that wills be updated if a marriage takes place after one has been signed. It’s natural that an estate owner would want to make a new spouse a beneficiary, which can easily be incorporated into an estate plan.
Spouses may also want to discuss advance health care directives and durable powers of attorney. If something happens, it is good to know that a spouse will be there to make financial or medical decisions on his or her partner’s behalf. It is crucial that thorough instructions be included in an estate plan because in certain circumstances, such as if a spouse has designated a health care power of attorney to someone else, the other spouse may not have authority to make medical decisions.
The good thing about estate planning in Georgia or any other state is that it does not have to be a permanent, one-time exercise. Spouses may update or change their estate plans at any time, provided they are of sound mind when they do so. An experienced long-term care planning attorney can provide support to older couples getting married who wish to protect their assets and interests, and provide for each other as they share the rest of their lives together.
Kevin Tharpe
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