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Estate Planning During Divorce: What You Need to Know
Episode Summary
Divorce doesn’t just change your personal life — it changes your estate plan. In this episode of Estate Planning: Beyond the Binder, Brian Chew, Managing Partner at OC Wills and Trusts, explains how divorce impacts wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, and guardianship choices. He breaks down why updating your documents during or immediately after divorce is critical to avoid leaving an ex-spouse in charge of your finances, health care decisions, or inheritance.
Brian also covers what happens to joint trusts, how beneficiary designations work after divorce, and why community property laws in California complicate matters further. With over 25 years of experience guiding families, Brian provides clear advice on how to protect your legacy and your loved ones during this major life transition.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
Key Timestamps
01:15 – Why divorce requires immediate updates to estate planning documents
03:40 – The risks of leaving your ex in control of medical or financial decisions
06:00 – What happens to joint trusts once assets are split
08:20 – Updating retirement accounts, life insurance, and beneficiary designations
10:45 – How prenuptial and postnuptial agreements affect estate plans
13:00 – Community property vs. separate property in California
15:00 – Why updating your plan during divorce is sometimes urgent
About the Show
Estate Planning: Beyond the Binder is a podcast dedicated to simplifying estate planning for families in California. Featuring attorney Brian Chew, managing partner at OC Wills and Trusts, the show provides expert insights into trusts, wills, and asset protection strategies. Through clear explanations and practical advice, the podcast empowers listeners to secure their family’s financial future and build lasting legacies.
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By estateplanningbeyondthebinderEpisode Summary
Divorce doesn’t just change your personal life — it changes your estate plan. In this episode of Estate Planning: Beyond the Binder, Brian Chew, Managing Partner at OC Wills and Trusts, explains how divorce impacts wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, and guardianship choices. He breaks down why updating your documents during or immediately after divorce is critical to avoid leaving an ex-spouse in charge of your finances, health care decisions, or inheritance.
Brian also covers what happens to joint trusts, how beneficiary designations work after divorce, and why community property laws in California complicate matters further. With over 25 years of experience guiding families, Brian provides clear advice on how to protect your legacy and your loved ones during this major life transition.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
Key Timestamps
01:15 – Why divorce requires immediate updates to estate planning documents
03:40 – The risks of leaving your ex in control of medical or financial decisions
06:00 – What happens to joint trusts once assets are split
08:20 – Updating retirement accounts, life insurance, and beneficiary designations
10:45 – How prenuptial and postnuptial agreements affect estate plans
13:00 – Community property vs. separate property in California
15:00 – Why updating your plan during divorce is sometimes urgent
About the Show
Estate Planning: Beyond the Binder is a podcast dedicated to simplifying estate planning for families in California. Featuring attorney Brian Chew, managing partner at OC Wills and Trusts, the show provides expert insights into trusts, wills, and asset protection strategies. Through clear explanations and practical advice, the podcast empowers listeners to secure their family’s financial future and build lasting legacies.