Florida Wills And Avoiding Mistakes
Making common errors with wills can lead to a long probate process and can risk how and to whom the person’s assets will be distributed. When to write a will is not a matter of how old a person is. It is instead more relevant to what is happening in their lives.
Trusts: Estate Planning And Whitney Houston
The recent and tragic death of Whitney Houston has sparked many conversations about her life and accomplishments. Often, people with sizable estates use trusts to control when and how their wealth is distributed.
Appointing a Trustee? Consider a professional.
A trustee is charged with protecting and investing trust assets and administering those assets per the terms of the trust agreement for the benefit of the trust’s beneficiaries. See Fla. Stat. 736.0801 et seq. While this sounds like a basic premise, there are some important functions which a trustee must do in their fiduciary role. […]
Common Questions About Guardianships For Minors
For Florida parents with children under the age of 18, the naming of a guardian for minor children is an important part of an estate plan. Generally it is relatively simple to nominate a guardian and even though it may be difficult to talk about, a guardianship plan should not be put off. In this […]
What Is The Purpose Of A Florida Living Will?
A concern shared by many Palm Beach County residents is to be able to control decisions about the health care they receive and end-of-life decisions in the event they are unable to make them for themselves. State assists them by recognizing the right of a person to prepare a written declaration in which they appoint […]
What Happens To Your Florida Estate If You Die Without A Will?
There are many reasons why a person may die without a will. One of the most common is that no one wants to face their mortality and it is hard to avoid that if you are planning what happens with your estate when you die. Another is that you don’t think your estate has enough […]
Considerations When Writing Wills
Some Florida residents have the misconception that writing a will is unnecessary unless they are wealthy. This is in most cases not true, and people may benefit from having one in place no matter the size of their estates. Having a valid will can ensure that the testator’s assets are distributed to the intended beneficiaries […]
How To Tell If A Florida Will Is Out Of Date
Although estate planning documents may still be valid, they may not meet an individual’s needs beyond a certain date. Those who follow estate planning trends say that if a will was created over 10 to 15 years ago, it may be worthwhile to review and update it. For instance, wills created before April 2003 may […]
Holographic Wills: Requirements To Be Valid
A holographic will is a will that has been entirely written and signed in the handwriting of the testator, who is the person who makes the will. While some states consider holographic wills to be valid, Florida does not unless the will meets certain requirements. Under Florida law, a holographic will is valid if it […]
Common Grounds For Will Contests In Florida
One of the challenges associated with wills is to create a document that will accomplish the stated wishes of its maker who is formally known as the “testator.” A will must clearly convey the thoughts and wishes of the testator who will not be around when the document is offered for probate to explain what […]