A Revocable Living Trust can be used to effectively reduce if not avoid the need for the probate of an estate in Florida – provided that the Trust is adequately funded and that all the remaining assets in the estate carry independent beneficiary...
Read moreBEST PLACES TO SAFELY STORE YOUR ESTATE PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Once you decide to obtain an estate plan, one of the most important decisions that will need to be made after that, is where to store your Will, Trust, Durable Power of Attorney, Designation of Health Care Surrogate, Living Will and/or Deed(s). ...
Read moreDO I NEED A LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT?
You might. Or you might not. It depends. If you don’t have a Last Will and Testament when you die, Florida law will have, in essence, written a Will for you. Meaning, that if you die without a Last Will and Testament, Florida law will...
Read moreESTATES COME IN ALL SIZES
An estate is whatever a person owns when they die. Estates can be very small, very large, and all sizes in between. While Florida has no state estate taxes, the federal government currently allows each person upon death to pass $11.2 million...
Read moreOPTIONS FOR GIVING FLORIDA REAL ESTATE TO YOUR LOVED ONES
There are different options for leaving your Florida real estate to the person(s) you would like to receive your property during life or upon death. This article discusses six (6) different options: Lifetime Gift: Gifting real...
Read moreHOW CAN A REVOCABLE TRUST HELP YOU?
A Revocable Trust provides many potential benefits most of the time. Examples of some of the benefits of having a Trust include: Minimizing lawsuits. When a person dies with a Will only, that Will must be filed with the Clerk. Trusts, on the...
Read moreADVANTAGES OF AN LLC FOR REAL PROPERTY OWNERS
If you own real property (other than your homestead), establishing an LLC should be considered an integral part of your overall estate plan, inasmuch as an LLC will offer asset preservation that is superior to an S or C Corporation. In...
Read moreHOW A PRENUP CAN PROTECT YOU
A Prenuptial Agreement (a/k/a Prenup) is a contract used to keep some (or all) of each spouse’s assets separate in the event of divorce and/or death. It’s an estate law and family law vehicle used in Florida to preserve “non-marital” assets for...
Read moreWHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR WILL FROM ANOTHER STATE WHEN YOU MOVE TO FLORIDA?
When people move to Florida they often ask whether the documents they executed in another state are valid in Florida. The general law in Florida is that if a Will is validly drafted and executed in the prior state, it is valid in Florida. ...
Read moreTHE NEED FOR A DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY IN FLORIDA
As long as you are mentally able to administer and make decisions about your finances, you might not consider the importance of having a power of attorney document. However, unforeseen events such as accidents or illnesses may result in...
Read moreMEDICAL POWERS OF ATTORNEY FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN
An unexpected accident or medical/health emergency can happen to anyone at any anytime. Whether due to an illness or as a result of an unexpected circumstance, situations occur every day which render persons of all ages incapacitated and...
Read moreCONSIDERATIONS TO AVOID PROBATE OF YOUR CAR, BOAT OR RV
If a person is married, there are certain circumstances under which a car, boat or RV can be distributed to a surviving spouse without probate. How can married couples who are covered under the same insurance policy avoid probate exposure...
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