Recent Blog Posts
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 »
Estate Planning Tips for Young Parents
Young people often do not consider getting their estate plans set, believing it can wait until they are older. But when they become parents, it’s important to at least establish a minimal plan to protect their children in the event of their untimely passing. The following are a few estate planning tips for young… Read More »
Tips for Storing Your Will
A common problem encountered by estate executors is actually finding the estate planning documents they need to carry out a deceased person’s last wishes. Fortunately, with a little bit of planning on your end, this is an easy problem to avoid for your loved ones. The following are some tips for storing your will… Read More »
The Pros and Cons of Using Online Tools to Create Wills
People are using the Internet to do more than ever today, and there is now the option to create wills and other estate planning documents online. But is this a legitimate option for people looking to truly ensure the security of their documents? The following are a few of the pros and cons to… Read More »