Having an estate plan in place that addresses one's current family circumstances is imperative. The consequences could be dire if a client does not have a will in place or if his existing will does not address his current specific family structure and dispositive intentions. Intestate succession statutes (which determine who receives the assets of an individual who dies without a will) generally provide for assets to be distributed according to a family tree, but families can be disparate, e.g., blended families with children from previous marriages.