Florida Estate Planning Lawyer Blog

In Callahan, Guardianship Lawyers often have clients who have parents who have been diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer's. It can be a struggle to do what you feel is best for your parent and when they are often argumentative and irritable. Growing old is not easy for anyone, especially the kids. Often times an adult child will need to step in and take over the financial and health care needs of their parents.

In some cases, the aging parent will voluntarily sign a Florida Power of Attorney (NOTE: the law changed 10/1/2011 and documents drafted prior to that date may not be valid if signed after 10/1/2011) or Designation of Health Care Surrogate. Another option is a Voluntary Guardianship for a parent who voluntarily elects a guardian to handle financial matters. Elder individuals suffering from dementia and other infirmities are often influenced by those not acting in their best interest. Therefore, speaking with a Jacksonville Guardianship Attorney may be helpful in learning your options.

A Guardianship proceeding in Callahan is a dual process and takes place in the Nassau County Court. It involves petitioning the Nassau court to appoint a certain individual to be appointed as guardian. At the same time a petition is filed to determine that an individual is incapacitated and cannot make decisions in their own best interest.

There are certain criteria that must be met to be appointed guardian of the person and property of another. If there are conflicting opinions about the best interest of an elderly parent or relative, please discuss your situation with a Jacksonville Guardianship Lawyer who handles Callahan Guardianship cases.

Likewise it is important to learn about the manner in which a court goes about determining that an individual is mentally incompetent to manage their own health and business affairs.

Although there are alternatives to Guardianship in Florida, many such methods may be temporary at best. To ensure your elderly parent will be protected from the wrong decisions, contact a Jacksonville Estate Planning Lawyer who also deals with Florida Guardianship and Jacksonville Medicaid Planning to learn what choices you have.

DCF will reject Medicaid planning involving trusts and personal service contracts where a power of attorney is executed after 10/1/11 and the DPOA does not specifically authorize the ability to execute trusts or personal services contracts.

If you are using forms for a POA or DPOA, you should have them reviewed by an attorney as the may not be valid with the recent law change. In addition, the forms may not let you accomplish what needs to be done in regards to planning for a nursing home or Medicaid eligibility.

The Florida law governing powers of attorney and similar instruments is found in Chapter 709 of the Florida Statutes. The Florida legislature on May 4, 2011 voted to pass Senate Bill 670 which significantly revised Chapter 709.

A. Generally

A power of attorney is a writing that grants authority to an agent to act in the place of the principal. Pursuant to the Act, a principal is an individual who grants authority to an agent and an agent is the person granted authority by the principal in a power of attorney. The Act allows for both durable and nondurable powers of attorney. A durable power of attorney is one that is not terminated by the incapacity of the principal, whereas a nondurable power of attorney is terminated upon the principal's incapacity. For a power of attorney to be durable, it must state that it is not terminated by the subsequent incapacity of the principal, or similar words that evidence the principal's intent.

The Act applies to all powers of attorney created by an individual except a proxy or other delegation to exercise voting or management rights with respect to an entity, a power created on a form prescribed by a governmental agency or subdivision for a governmental purpose, and a power coupled with an interest (e.g., a power given to a creditor to sell pledged collateral.

Continue reading "The New Florida Power of Attorney Act" »

Florida residents be advised, not only is it important to consult with a Neptune Beach Estate Planning Attorney about having your Will, Trust, Power of Attorney and other legal documents prepared, but you must make your beneficiaries and heirs aware that they exist.

Keeping your important legal, real estate, motor vehicle, insurance and financial papers in an organized fashion and storing them where they can be found is crucial. Keeping your original Will secure and accessible is the first step. A Will allows you to decide which of your family members or friends will inherit your assets. If you have minor children, you designate a guardian for your kids, in case of your demise.

Wills are subject to the Probate process, which is a court supervised proceeding in which a personal representative is appointed, an inventory of your property is prepared, your debts and taxes are paid, and finally your assets are distributed to those beneficiaries named in your Will.

As a Neptune Beach Probate Attorney, I have seen first hand what happens after you die, if your relatives cannot find your original Will. It becomes a more complicated, more timely, and more expensive undertaking than had your heirs known where to look for the original will, which you have "hidden" in the back closet, under a pile of clothes, in a box, with hundreds and hundreds of receipts and sheets of papers . . .

A Revocable Living Trust is another Estate Planning tool that not only benefits you and your beneficiaries, but also avoids the probate process. As you can amend your Living Trust at any time during your lifetime, it becomes imperative that you not only keep the original trust agreement but the amendments to the original trust where your trustee and beneficiaries can find it. Failure to find your trust documents may set your estate up for litigation.

A Durable Power of Attorney is a most powerful document as it allows someone you have named, to act on your behalf in financial, banking and business matters if you ever become incapacitated due to illness or injury. If the person you have designated is unable to locate this document, he or she will be unable to conduct banking transactions or deal with business associates on your behalf.

Another important Estate Planning Document is a Designation of Health Care Surrogate. This health care document allows you to name the person you want to make health care decisions on your behalf in the event you are incapacitated and unable to make health care treatment decisions for yourself. Again, remember, it is not only important to have these legal Estate Planning Documents prepared, but to share the existence and location of these documents to your beneficiaries, loved ones, and trusted friends.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the state of Florida has the highest Population Change and Net Migration of any other state, from the years 1975-2000. As is common knowledge, the baby-boomer generation is growing into retirement age, which increases the likelihood of periods of disability. There are two main options you should consider for who will manage your assets and health care decisions during a period of disability: 1) Set up a Revocable Living Trust; and/or 2) Designate a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.

Setting up a Florida Revocable Living Trust and a Florida Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care usually provides a person with the comfort in knowing that their health and assets will be managed for their own benefit. Using both types of documents in tandem ensures that your assets and health should not be managed to benefit the private/secret desires of another person.

If you are a baby-boomer who is not quite at the age of retirement and who may look into moving into a warmer climate such as Florida, There are options you may want to discuss with a Jacksonville Estate Planning Lawyer now, so that you can further secure your dreams of moving down south.

In a Bill supported by the Banks, you will no longer be able to obtain Springing Powers of Attorney in Florida. In addition, not only will you be required to have two witnesses sign in your presence like with a Florida Will or Florida Revocable Trust but you will also need a notary for it to be valid.

Each agent will have full authority to act independently, there will be new Mandatory Duties, Default Duties, and separate signing requirements for certain authorities like creating or revoking trusts, making gifts, disclaimers, and powers of appointment.

In addition, certain non family members will not be able to do certain things like support others, transfer certain interests in the principals property by gift, right of survivorship, beneficiary designation, disclaimer unless the POA provides otherwise.

And all gifts will be limited to the federal gift tax annual exclusion ($13,000 currently) unless the document states otherwise.

If you are considering a new power of attorney or revising your Durable Power of Attorney in Florida, you may consider doing a new one before October 1, 2011 or be forced to create one with the limitations and exclusions of the new Florida Statue.

St. Augustine has a prominent and growing gay population, and like numerous other gay Floridians, they are doing their part in executing legal papers to protect themselves, their same-sex partners, and children.

The LGBT community in Florida are not afforded any inherent rights when it comes to same-sex couples. Despite the number of years you have been with your St. Augustine gay or lesbian partner, if you die without a Florida Will they get nothing. If your home is not titled properly, it may not pass to the surviving spouse. If one partner has children not the biological children of another partner, that person may not be appointed guardian upon the death of the biological parent.

UNLESS . . .

Legal documents, Florida Estate Planning Documents, Power of Attorney documents and numerous other documentation has been prepared.

There is a Florida St. Augustine Estate Planning and Family Law Attorney focusing on gay and lesbian legal issues now servicing the St. Augustine and St. Johns County area. Call to schedule a consult and fight for your right to be recognized as a partner in a same-sex relationship.

Going to an attorney may be a difficult step for many. Being gay and unsure as to how you may be received by an attorney, may stop more than many.

Jacksonville Beach Residents, Atlantic Beach residents, erase your fear. Apple Law Firm has Estate Planning & Family Law Attorneys who focus on areas of law as it relates to the gay and lesbian community. Our beach doors are open.

Schedule a consult at our new beach office, located at 6th Avenue, Jacksonville Beach, with one of our Jacksonville Beach Estate Planning Attorneys who focuses on LGBT legal issues, to discuss the necessary legal documents in planning for your future, as well as the future of your domestic partner, children, and family.

Florida's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is a volunteer-based organization which advocates for the health, safety, rights and welfare of elders who live in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult family-care homes.

When an elder is admitted to a long-term care facility, federal law mandates that he or she is given a special set of residents' rights covering issues ranging from dignity and respect to measurable quality of life and care. Volunteer ombudsmen are trained and certified by the Department of Elder Affairs. Their taks is to inspect local facilities and respond to resident's complaints to ensure that their rights are being maintained and respected.

As family members we want to ensure that our elder parents and relatives are treated with respect and dignity. There are methods such as guardianships, advanced directives, and durable power of attorney which will allow an elderly person to choose someone they trust to look after their best interests, physical and financial safety. It is also good to know that there are approximately 400 volunteers statewide that take an active role in monitoring the needs and special conserns of the elderly population who are in residential facilities.

No one wants to plan for their future, especially when the planning involves a future which may not include you. Jacksonville Beach Estate Planning Attorneys will tell you to prepare your legal documents while you are healthy, and not when you become ill or disabled. There are numerous documents which will allow you to choose the individual(s) with whom you want to have the authority to make decisions for you on your behalf.

A Designation of Health Care Surrogate allows you to select who will consent to medical treatment in the event you are unable to make your own decisions. A Financial Durable Power of Attorney will permit your agent to make financial transactions and decisions as well as conduct everyday financial business for you, in the event that you become incapacitated.

Sit down with a Jacksonville Beach Estate Planning Attorney who is sensitive to the issues faced by the Gay and Lesbian Community and the importance of having these legal documents prepared.

One important aspect of the estate planning process is determining what will happen if one day you become incapacitated. The decisions that you make on a day to day basis will no longer be possible, therefore you will be required to rely on someone else to make these decisions for you. Two positions, the Florida Health Care Surrogate and Florida Durable Power of Attorney, can serve as decision makers when your time of need arises.

The designation of a Florida Healthcare Surrogate is vital to the estate planning process because this person will make the medical decisions for you in a situations where you are unable to do so. This does not mean that the person will always make medical decisions for you. Only when an individual becomes incapacitated to the point that the primary physician decides he/she can no longer make medical decisions for themselves. Situations such as this often arise when someone is unconscious.

A Florida Durable Power of Attorney determines your financial matters in the event you become incapacitated. It is important to choose a trusting person to whom you can assign this power because of the many responsibilities he or she will have. You can control the degree of power the person chosen has over financial matters but under most circumstances they will have complete control over your banking transactions, real estate transactions, and securities exchanges. In some cases this person can even run your business for you by making contracts and running the day to day operations.

These decisions involve imperative decisions to your estate and future should anything happen to you. Discuss these estate planning issues with your Jacksonville Estate Planning Lawyer who can provide guidance and expertise in this sensitive area of law.

If you think its time to review your Florida Will or Florida Estate Planning Documents contact a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer or Jacksonville Estate Planning Lawyer to review your documents before you begin to melt.

The Trials and Heirs blog\ recently had an article about how to avoid exploitation of the elderly by a family member. They recommend

1 Getting Expert advise who knows the ins and outs of estate planning. I would also recommend using a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer who is familiar with Florida Elder Law.
2. Be careful of Joint accounts as they can take the money or create ineligibility for nursing home coverage.
3. Consider "Springing" Powers of Attorney or as we call them contingent Durable Powers of Attorney as they only give powers once you are incapacitated.
4. Choosing Wisely which may mean not choosing a family member or the oldest child because of emotional reasons.
5. Having Checks and Balances by using more than one person to make decisions and to avoid fights.
6. Selecting someone to monitor your accounts. This person can be a trusted advisor and should have the ability to question and stop inappropriate actions.

These are issues that should be dealt with in Florida Estate Planning as well as to avoid abuse of the elderly. To discuss your concerns or issues contact a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer

Many of my Jacksonville Estate Planning clients ask me when and how often they should review their Florida Estate Plan. I like to recommend that people take a look at their situation on a yearly basis and if they notice any of the following, they should make an appointment with their Florida Estate Planning Lawyer.

1. Change or contemplation of change in Marital status;
2. Death of spouse;
3. You or your spouses' health changes;
4. Death or change in the health or marital status of a trustee, executor, guardian, or beneficiary;
5. If you change your residence or move to another state;
6.. Change in or anticipation of the number of children or grandchildren whether by blood or adoption. Consider step-children also;
7. Any disabilities, health issues, or significant factors on lifestyle of children or grandchildren;
8. If you buy, sell, or contemplate buying or selling a business.
9. Upon the discovery of a hereditary issue that will or might affect you in the future; or
10. Change in tax law or its been more than two years since you reviewed your plan with your attorney.

We offer complimentary Florida Estate Planning reviews for our clients and those who have used another attorney in the past. Our goal is to provide the best protection for your and your family members. We often find that even some of the most expensive estate plans do not take into consideration the divorce or issues with your children. While some of us like our children-in-laws better than our own children, many do not want the future ex-spouse of our children to inherit 1/2 our our child's inheritance.

A couple was recently charged with theft and elder abuse for taking money from their elderly parents, under authority of a power of attorney to pay for personal expenses. These included vacations, plane tickets, lodging and meals. Matthew D. Gardner an Iowa Estate Planning Lawyer wrote about this case and the increasing frequency of elder abuse in the past year.

A Power of Attorney grants the agent (attorney-in-fact) broad powers to act in the best interest of he person. Often agents who accept this power do not understand that the money is not theirs to use as their own but the authority grants the agent the power to act in the other person's best interest.

If you suspect that someone is misusing the Power of Attorney granted to them, report the information immediately to the local police who will be able to properly investigate the case. If you have been affected by this misuse you may have a claim against the agent for the harm they have caused you and should Contact a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer