Blended Complications – Tetris for Estate Planners

Today, there are increasing numbers of blended families, which often causes confusion and concern when decisions must be made as to who will be provided for in a Will and in what proportions. The definition of a child in the eyes of the law obviously includes biological children. However, it also includes adopted children. Therefore, any such “child” has standing to bring a claim against their deceased parent’s Estate.

An example of a child’s right to adequate provision under a parent’s Will is the decision of Mead v Lemon [2015] WASC 71 which saw the Supreme Court of Western Australia determine that $25 million was adequate provision for mining heiress Olivia Mead – the daughter of mining magnate Michael Wright (“the deceased”) – who commenced proceedings in the Supreme Court under the Family Provision Act 1972 (WA) for further provision from her late father’s Will.

In this case, the deceased died on 26 April 2012. The deceased married four times in his life. He had three children from one marriage and Olivia (his youngest child) was the result of a relationship the deceased had with Olivia’s mother. Olivia’s mother and the deceased never married.  In the deceased’s Will, Olivia was to inherit $3 million (subject to strict conditions), compared to her half siblings who stood to inherit approximately $400 million each. The Executor of the Will has appealed the Court’s decision to award Olivia $25 million and the matter is currently before the Court of Appeal.

This case highlights that making appropriate provision for your children is a crucial consideration in the estate planning process. It also demonstrates that, failing to make adequate provision for your children – even though you may not have had a close relationship with them – may result in those disinherited children bringing a claim against your Estate.

Another issue arising from blended families is the provision for stepchildren.  Until recently, stepchildren were unable to make a claim under the Family Provision Act. The recent amendments to the Family Provision Act provide that a stepchild can make a claim in specific circumstances and usually in circumstances where the stepchild was financially dependent on the stepparent, or where the stepchild’s biological parent left his or her entire estate to their new spouse or partner, who in turn does not leave adequate provision for that stepchild.  Accordingly, even though a stepchild may not be a “child” in the eyes of the law, he or she may still be able to bring a claim against your Estate.

The fact that your children and other close family members can challenge your testamentary wishes highlights the reason why it is crucial to seek sound legal advice when dealing with your estate planning and business succession planning. The benefits of carefully and effectively arranging your estate planning far outweigh the dire consequences of not doing so and leaving important matters unaddressed.