When you get married, the law automatically gives rights to your spouse to inherit your property at the time of your death and allows them to make decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself. If you had an Estate Planning Attorney draw up a Will, Power of Attorney, and Declaration (Living Will), those documents further define these rights.
When people are separating or divorcing, they generally do not want their spouse to retain those important rights and powers. However, with the daily distraction of separation and divorce matters, they forget to settle their estate matters properly.
During the Alpha Center program for divorce mediation, Clients are alerted to this major concern at the appropriate time and are given direction on how to settle their estate matters. They are offered referrals to Estate Planning Attorneys near them who can write a new Will, Power of Attorney, and Declaration for them at a reasonable cost.