Recent Blog Posts
How Do I Make Changes To An Existing Will?
As a rule of thumb, most people should change their wills at least once every five years. More frequent changes are necessary if the testator (persona who makes a will) undergoes major life changes, such as having a child or grandchild, or a financial reversal of fortune (positive or negative). Executing a will in… Read More »
Seven Kinds Of Trusts In Florida
The seven most common kinds of trusts in Florida have different specific purposes. But the overall purposes are the same. In most cases, trusts transfer legal ownership of money or other property while leaving the original owner in complete control of that property. Furthermore, property in trust is exempt from the probate process, saving… Read More »
Making And Breaking A Prenuptial Agreement In Florida
A generation ago, most people believed that premarital agreements were little more than divorce insurance. More recently, Millennials have recognized the true value of a premarital agreement. Monetary disputes are a leading cause of divorce. Premarital agreements virtually eliminate the possibility of such disputes. Furthermore, when people sign on the dotted line, something almost… Read More »
How Long Does Probate Take In Florida?
The only honest answer to this question is that the probate process takes longer than you think. Anyone who gives a specific answer to this question is either inexperienced or telling you what you want to hear. Probate is the legal process which transforms a will into an enforceable document. Many people place much… Read More »
How Does Guardianship Work In Florida?
Quite simply, guardians act on behalf of people who, normally due to a disability, cannot act for themselves. Age, either extreme youth (under 18) or extreme age, is the most common guardianship disability. A guardian controls a person’s person or property, and sometimes both person and property. Any Florida resident who meets certain legal… Read More »
The Three Categories Of Trust Lawsuits
Trusts have the reputation of being able to work miracles. If you believe the promotional content on the websites of financial planners, then trusts make everyone feel rich. The grantor gets to save money on taxes, the beneficiaries get to inherit more money, and start receiving payouts sooner, than if they had simply inherited… Read More »
Retirement Age Scientists At A Crossroads
It used to be fun to go out to dinner with your departmental colleagues at the end of the semester, acknowledge that you were well past middle age, and then reaffirm your intention never to leave academia. The acknowledgement of old age ritual would take the form of passing around your cell phones to… Read More »
Understanding The Four Parts Of Medicare Without Quadrupling Your Stress
When you are what our work-obsessed society calls a working aged adult, you feel like you can never catch a break. You spend all your waking hours on your job and your gigs, only to find yourself another day older, with ageless content creators mocking you for being ugly and obsolete, even as they… Read More »
Neglect Of Vulnerable Seniors By Family Caregivers
The horrifying stories of vulnerable seniors abused and neglected by family caregivers are enough to make even the most committed procrastinator get started on his or her estate plan. Last year, Alton Cardwell was arrested after the death of his father Jimmy Cardwell, for whom the younger Cardwell was a primary caregiver, and now… Read More »
What Can Go Wrong With Designating Beneficiaries For Non-Probate Assets?
It can be difficult to get started on big projects; just ask any parent who has struggled to muster the energy to pick up the first piece of clutter in the living room after the kids had a three-day weekend off from school. By contrast, you get a big emotional boost when you accomplish… Read More »