What is the effect of a divorce on a will?
It depends on your state’s law. In some states, a divorce decree automatically revokes your entire Will and in others, it revokes only those provisions that made gifts to the former spouse, not the Will itself. Either way, any property arrangements in a Will (or other document, such as a life insurance policy, bank account) should always be reexamined when you contemplate a divorce. Frequently, these matters may be required to be addressed as part of any divorce agreement or court decree.
The effect of divorce on a Will depends on your states law. In some states, a divorce decree automatically revokes your entire Will and in others, it revokes only those provisions that made gifts to the former spouse, not the whole Will. Sometimes the Will might be affected by the divorce agreement or the court decree, even if the Will provisions dont relate to your former spouse. For example, if you had left your interest in the family home to one child and a stock portfolio to another and the divorce decree awards ownership of the family home to your ex-spouse, your Will would then leave nothing to one child and probably more than you intended to the other. Parties getting a divorce should review their Wills to make sure the Wills are still in effect after the divorce and that the Wills still express what the parties want and cover changed financial situations. These parties should also review other estate planning devices such as trusts and property owned by joint tenancy with a rig
