Estate Planning Before, During & After Divorce

Divorce reshapes both finances and family ties; your estate plan has to keep up. Common missteps—like forgetting to change a beneficiary—can send assets straight to an ex-spouse. A three-phase approach helps keep control:

Before filing

• Stay organized—flag separate vs. community property.

• Replace the ex-spouse on beneficiary forms, life-insurance policies, and wherever else appropriate.

During the dissolution

• Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders (ATROs) limit how much you can change. Still, you can:

  • Update powers of attorney and advance health-care directives.

  • Draft a new will (it won’t affect community property but handles separate property and guardianship).

• Keep excellent records—court schedules often require full asset disclosure.

After the decree

• Retitle real estate, brokerage, and bank accounts per the judgment.

• Review guardianship nominations and successor trustees.

• Re-evaluate tax strategies: filing status, portability elections, and retirement-plan rollovers all change post-divorce.

Turn the upheaval into an opportunity for a fresh financial start. Shafae Law coordinates with family-law counsel so your estate plan stays watertight at every stage.