Aligned Life and Legacy Law, PC

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Aligned Life and Legacy Law, PC Lauren (Walz) Gehrke is an estate planning lawyer here to help you make the very best personal, financial, and legal decisions for your family.

Licensed in Texas, California, Missouri, and Kansas. Estate planning lawyer here to help you make the very best personal, financial, and legal decisions for your family. Licensed in Texas and California.

Q: If I leave everything to my spouse, will my children inherit it later?A: I would ask you a question first: do you mea...
10/15/2026

Q: If I leave everything to my spouse, will my children inherit it later?

A: I would ask you a question first: do you mean a specific inheritance, or whatever remains after your spouse’s needs are met?

Those are different promises.

If you leave assets outright, your spouse generally owns them, subject to enforceable arrangements and other legal restrictions. Your original hopes do not automatically control what happens next.

I want you to understand that distinction without feeling you are being disloyal. Wanting your children included does not mean you distrust your spouse.

I look at the actual terms, account arrangements, and resources. I ask who can change beneficiaries, who decides about spending, and whether the same money is being promised twice.

My article explains how I approach that conversation with you, starting with the people you love rather than a choice of documents.

Read the full answer: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/blended-family-heres-how-plan-your-spouse-cqhle

10/13/2026

First reel! Yikes! A new name and a new qualification!

You found love again. Planning for your children should not feel like apologizing for it. And caring for your spouse sho...
10/12/2026

You found love again. Planning for your children should not feel like apologizing for it. And caring for your spouse should not feel like leaving your children out. I know this, because my own family is a blended family - so I have walked this path too!

If either of you has children from a prior relationship, your estate plan needs to reflect both the family you brought into the marriage and the life you are building together.

“Everything to my spouse, then to the kids” sounds like one simple instruction. It actually asks your money to do two different jobs.

Does your spouse need income, a home, or both? Should your children receive a reserved amount, or whatever remains later?

I start with those questions before recommending documents. This week’s article walks through the choices, including who makes decisions and how your home fits in.
You do not need to pick a side. You need a plan that says what each promise means.

Read the article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/blended-family-heres-how-plan-your-spouse-cqhle

The holidays have a way of gathering everyone in one room at the same time, which makes it one of the easiest times all ...
10/06/2026

The holidays have a way of gathering everyone in one room at the same time, which makes it one of the easiest times all year to have a conversation you might otherwise keep putting off. Bringing up estate planning with your parents or your spouse doesn't have to feel heavy or awkward.

A simple starting point works better than a big formal talk. Ask your parents whether their documents reflect their current wishes. Mention that you've been meaning to update your own guardianship decisions now that the kids are older. Small, low-pressure moments like these often open the door to bigger conversations later, without anyone feeling ambushed.

If your family ends up talking about it this season and you want a professional to help turn those conversations into an actual plan, reach out at alignedlifeandlegacy.com/contact-us.

You do not need a tech emergency for your online life to become a family problem.If you could not manage your accounts t...
10/05/2026

You do not need a tech emergency for your online life to become a family problem.

If you could not manage your accounts tomorrow, would your spouse know what to find first? Insurance. Automatic payments. Tax records. The email account that unlocks everything else?

This week’s blog explains why planning for online accounts during incapacity is about more than leaving behind passwords. It is about helping the right people find the right information and have the authority to act.

Start with one account category this week.

Read the article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-passwords-plan-heres-what-family-needs-ujaoe

Before we choose a beneficiary, I want to know what this money needs to make possible.Maybe you want your spouse to take...
10/02/2026

Before we choose a beneficiary, I want to know what this money needs to make possible.

Maybe you want your spouse to take six months away from work.

Maybe you want your children’s care funded without handing them a lump sum before they are ready.

Those are different jobs. The beneficiary decision should reflect them.

I help you connect your policy, trust, backup choices, and other resources with the people you love. We look at who receives the money and how they can use it, working with your insurance and tax professionals where needed.

Your Life & Legacy Plan is not a pile of separate forms. It is a coordinated set of choices about your family’s future.

Our ongoing relationship helps keep those choices aligned when your family changes. Let’s start with what you want the money to make possible.

Schedule a complimentary 15-minute discovery call: https://calendly.com/lauren-alignedlifeandlegacy/15min

You bought the policy. Now, who should receive the money?You wanted your family to have choices: time away from work, a ...
09/28/2026

You bought the policy. Now, who should receive the money?

You wanted your family to have choices: time away from work, a home they could keep, room to grieve without an immediate financial decision. That was the point of buying coverage.

Now you have a trust. Should you change the beneficiary?

Not automatically. Naming your spouse directly generally gives them control over the proceeds. Naming a trust puts its terms and trustee in charge of how the money is administered. Either arrangement can fit. Neither is right simply because it sounds easier or more protective.

For Life Insurance Awareness Month, this week’s article walks through that decision, your backup beneficiaries, and how the policy connects with your other assets.

Before you change a name, ask what you want the money to make possible. That is where I begin with you.

Read the article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/should-i-name-my-spouse-trust-life-insurance-hvmke

We're entering the last 100 days of the year. Before the holiday rush hits, here's a quick checklist to see where your e...
09/22/2026

We're entering the last 100 days of the year. Before the holiday rush hits, here's a quick checklist to see where your estate plan stands:
Do you have a will or trust in place at all?Have you added or lost any family members since you last reviewed it?Do your named guardians for your kids still make sense today?Does your power of attorney reflect who you'd actually want making decisions?Has it been more than three years since a professional looked at your documents?
If you answered no or unsure to any of these, fall is a great time to fix it before the calendar fills up with holidays and family visits. Call my office at (512) 337-2151 and let's get you squared away before the new year.

SAVE THE DATE, Kansas City! Pints & Planning is coming to you in October! 🍻
09/22/2026

SAVE THE DATE, Kansas City! Pints & Planning is coming to you in October! 🍻

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Cedar Park, TX
78613

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+15123372151

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