Recent Blog Posts
Your Estate Plan Is Likely Out of Date Due to Our “Digitized” World
As estate planning attorneys here in Florida, one of our regular tasks is to update estate plans with our clients, because not only do life circumstances changing all the time, but the law is also changing as well, warranting important updates. In addition, more and more is being done online, especially when it comes… Read More »
Why Establishing Power Of Attorney Is So Important For Senior Health Care
While a number of estate planning documents are important to have set up for your life, some are more important in terms of ensuring that we secure adequate health care as we age. These include your advance directive, the do not resuscitate order, guardianship documents, health care proxy, living will, physician order (for life-sustaining… Read More »
Do Wills Need to Be Probated In Estate Planning?
Figuring out both the overlap and differences between estate planning and probate can be complicated. For example, while many wills are never probated, most of them probably should be. What we mean by that is: when a will is presented for probate, an estate is open, and a personal representative is appointed, and the… Read More »
Florida Fourth District Court Of Appeal Decides Mandatory Restricted Depositories in Probate Are Improper
When it comes to probate, Florida law addresses placing financial assets into a restricted depository account in a financial institution in order to reduce the risk of improper use by the estate’s personal representative. While some counties impose the restricted depository accounts in all cases, for all estates, others only do so if the… Read More »
What Must A Surviving Spouse Do Immediately After Their Spouse Passes In Order To Protect Themselves?
What most people think about in estate planning in the event of their death is how to make sure a loved one’s beneficiaries are taken care of, but what about surviving spouses? Most-everyone focuses on administering the estate of the decedent, but very little attention is given to the legal needs of the surviving… Read More »
How to Approach Estate Planning Without Triggering a Family Feud
One of the biggest concerns people have with approaching their families about estate planning is that a feud will break out if they do. Yet, if you fail to discuss these important issues with them, it is entirely possible that feuds will occur, and discord, rancor, and resentment will form amongst your heirs. Below,… Read More »
Senior Citizens Concerned About “Money-Draining Probate System”
When most people think of the word “probate,” they think of the process of having to go to court and validate a will. But what many people do not realize is that probate court can serve as both a way to protect the disabled and elderly from financial and physical abuse, while also opening… Read More »
Estate Planning Doesn’t Just Involve Tax Benefits
Many people see estate planning as a tax-saving strategy and a way to avoid probate—especially since the recent federal estate tax laws doubled estate, federal, gift, and GST tax exemptions to $10,000 per person. However, there are a number of other benefits and details to keep in mind when it comes to approaching your… Read More »
Considering a Durable Power Of Attorney & Health Care Surrogate when your Child Leaves Home
When most people think of estate planning tools like durable power of attorney and healthcare surrogate, they think of older couples making plans for their beneficiaries for when they pass. However, some parents actually set up a health care surrogate and power of attorney for their child when they head off for college in… Read More »
What Won’t a Will Do for You?
Wills are among the simplest estate planning tools and are excellent for addressing a variety of estate planning needs. However, it’s important to realize they will not address all of your estate planning needs. Here are some tasks a will does not accomplish: Leaving certain kinds of property. In most situations, you are not… Read More »