Florida Estate Planning Lawyer Blog

The 2nd District Court of Appeals for Florida held in McDonald v Johnson that the increase in a company stock value that happened during the marriage can be used to determine the value of an elective share calculation. The lower court ruled that the surviving spouse had no right to discovery of a company's financial information because the company stock was not subject to probate. The 2nd DCA found that Section 742.2155(6)(c) excluded nonmartial assets as defined in Section 61.075. Because the increase in value of an asset that happens during a marriage is a martial asset, they concluded that the spouse was entitled to do discovery that was necessary to determine if it would be to her benefit to claim an elective share.

Section 732.2155(6) provides as follows:
Sections 732.201-732.2155 do not affect any interest in property held, as of the decedent's death, in a trust, whether revocable or irrevocable, if:

(a) The property was an asset of the trust at all times between October 1, 1999, and the date of the decedent's death;
(b) The decedent was not married to the decedent's surviving spouse when the property was transferred to the trust; and
(c) The property was a nonmarital asset as defined in s. 61.075 immediately prior to the decedent's death.

The courts reasoning is as follows:

We conclude that the fact that section 732.2155(6)(c) cites to section 61.075 without a specific citation to the subsection defining nonmarital property indicates the legislature's intent that the entire statute, which defines both marital and nonmarital property, is to be considered in determining whether the property in the revocable trust was nonmarital at the time of death. The definition of marital assets includes "[t]he enhancement in value and appreciation of nonmarital assets resulting either from the efforts of either party during the marriage or from the contribution to or expenditure thereon of marital funds or other forms of marital assets, or both." § 61.075(6)(a)(1)(b), Fla. Stat. (2010). In other words, if the value of the MCC stock in the decedent's revocable trust increased pursuant to the terms of section 61.075(6)(a)(1)(b), that increase would not be excluded from the elective share under section 732.2155(6)(c). Thus, to the extent the information sought by the surviving spouse is necessary to her determination whether the MCC stock value was enhanced during the marriage due to the efforts of the decedent, it is relevant.

It is the PR's job in a Florida Probate case to take actions to gather the assets and distribute them to the beneficiaries. When wrongful death claims are not assets subject to distribution under Florida Probate, it is the personal representative of an estate who pursues a Wrongful Death Claim in Florida or another state. The Jacksonville Wrongful Death Lawyer will often work directly with a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer to pursue the claim for the family and children of the decedent.

The Yale Daily News is reporting that

The estate of former pharmacology student Annie Le GRD '13 filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the University in New Haven Superior Court on Tuesday, alleging that pervasive sexual harassment at the University "emboldened" her killer, Raymond Clark III, who is serving a 44-year sentence for the murder and who the suit claims was hired through Yale's negligence.

While many states have broader statutes dealing with wrongful death claims, Florida limits which family members can have a claim and often when an elderly person dies, the adult children may not be able to file a claim.

It is important to talk with a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer who is familiar with the Florida Wrongful Death Statute and requirements so that the correct form of probate is opened and unnecessary estate or personal assets are not waisted when there is no claim that can be recovered.

A recent Florida appellate court decision, 2010 WL 4226204, came to the conclusion that if a trust only has a piece of real property as its sole asset and the trust documents provide an intent that the trust give 5% of its annual principal disbursements to the beneficiary, no monies needs to be paid to the beneficiary. However, as a substitute, the court ordered this trust to pay 5% of the interest in the principal asset to the beneficiary. The court ruled that this would be an "equivalent transfer of interest."

What this may mean to you: If you find yourself as the beneficiary of a trust where the sole asset is a house or some other type of real property and you are expecting a disbursement from the trust, you may be entitled to a substitute payment in an interest in the house. On the other hand, if you are a trustee of a trust with no money to make disbursements, you may still have some options depending on the language of the trust. In either case, you should contact a Jacksonville Florida Trust lawyer who can look over the facts of your particular situation, and let you know the possible legal avenues you can pursue. Or, if you are further down the road leading to litigation, you can contact a Florida Trust Litigation attorney who can represent you in court.

Preparing your will without the assistance of a Jacksonville Estate Planning Lawyer may cost your family future trouble and costs. Your Will must be clearly worded, otherwise, your intentions may be disputed by family members.

A Florida Will contest may result in a lengthy and expensive court battle, which is exactly what you did not intend for your surviving family. A Last Will and Testament must meet the requirements of the Florida Statutes. If your Florida Will is not signed and witnessed in the proper fashion, a Probate Judge may refuse to admit your will to Probate, resulting in your property being distributed as if you had no Will at all.

To avoid any challenge to your Florida Will, it is advisable that you consult with a Jacksonville Estate Planning Lawyer . An Attorney will prepare your Last Will and Testament according to your directions and supervise the execution (signing) of your Will to ensure that it is witnessed according to Florida Law.

We often do not think of Criminal Defense in connection with Florida estate planning. We have a Jacksonville Criminal Defense Lawyer who has been helpful in dealing with crimes committed by fiduciary agents. Every month we get contacted by individuals who have had their parents or families life savings depleted because someone with a Power of Attorney or other fiduciary position thinks that they can treat the other persons funds as their own. Not only are we able to help represent the individuals who have lost the money, but we often represent other family members that have lost their inheritance because of the bad acts of others.

Often it is a difficult choice to decide whether to just go after recover of the money or to also package the information for the state to review for possible criminal charges. Florida has very strict laws when it comes to financial abuse of the elderly.

If you believe that a Power of Attorney or trustee or other person with a fiduciary responsibility has acted inappropriately, contact a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer or a Jacksonville Criminal Lawyer to discuss your situation. You may also review the Jacksonville Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog or more information on this and other financial crimes.

The ABA Journal recently reported an unusual case when an attorney's client was targeted for murder by his own brother. The parents of the brothers passed away leaving an unexpected $20 million dollar estate. The brother's were the sole heirs of the estate, but apparently sharing the money was not in the one brothers plan. He was arrested for putting a murder contract out on his younger brother.

Money does crazy things to people. A consulting with a Ponte Vedra Estate Planning Law Firm may offer numerous ways in which you can provide for your heirs, which may prevent them from receiving too large of an inheritance at one time. Discussing the benefits of preparing a Florida will or Florida trust can be an important tool for anyone leaving assets to children or other family members.

If you are a named beneficiary in someone's will, or if you expect a conflict with other beneficiaries, a Ponte Vedra Probate Firm can guide you through the probate procedure and any adversarial proceedings which may arise.

Wills need to be deposited with the court within 10 days of death.  Florida Statutes, Section 732.901.  A Jacksonville custodian of a will must deposit the will with the appropriate clerk of court within 10 days after receiving information that the testator (person whose will it was) is dead. If the will has not been timely deposited, any interested person may upon petition and notice compel the production of the will, and receive attorney fees, costs and damages against the delinquent custodian.

A Florida judge recently entered an order requiring a custodian of a will to produce the will. The judge then entered an award of $2500.00 in attorney's fees against the custodian who had failed to produce the will.

The 4th district court of Florida reversed the order, stating it was error by the circuit court to enter an order requiring production of a will and assessing attorney fees against the custodian of the will, without a hearing or proof that the petition to produce the will had actually been received by the custodian of the will. As the order was entered without due process the district court set it aside and remanded the case back to the circuit court.

When someone has died it is important to consult with a Jacksonville Estate Planning Attorney to discuss the probate laws and rules that govern. Knowing your legal rights and responsibilities is beneficial as you begin the probate administration process.

Creditors only have 90 days to file claims in a Florida Probate once notice has been published. For this reason it may be beneficial to publish notice as soon as possible. Unfortunately, you can only publish notice once a Personal Representative has been appointed. If there is a dispute about who will be the PR in a Florida Probate case the ability to publish notice to the creditors will not happen until the Florida Court appoints a Personal Representative.

Creditors claims are barred 90 days after publication or 2 years after the death of the decedent. If you have a question about a Florida Probate case or want to speak with a Jacksonville Probate Lawyer contact us by phone or email.

A lost Florida Will is a will that was lost or destroyed without the decedent's knowledge or consent and without his or her intent to revoke. The original Florida Will of a testator can be revoked in a number of ways but the individual must have the intent to revoke the will. When the original will of the decedent cannot be located after her death, it is presumed that the will was destroyed with the intent to revoke it. Overcoming this presumption in Florida requires the proponent of a lost will to carry the burden of introducing competent and substantial evidence.

In the recent case Brennan v. Estate of Brennan, the issue addressed by the 5th District Court of Appeals was whether affidavits alone are enough to prove a lost will or whether live witness testimony is required. Relying on a similar issue addressed by the Florida Supreme Court and the 3rd DCA, the 5th DCA determined that in order for a lost will to be admitted to probate Fla. Stat. § 733.207 requires testimony of one disinterested witness and a "correct copy" of the will, or testimony from two disinterested witnesses. Affidavits merely swearing the witnesses saw the decedent execute the lost will and that witness signed the will are insufficient to fulfill this requirement.

From this decision it is apparent that a draft of the will or some evidence be provided for admission to the probate court and depending on whether a "correct copy" of the will is offered, the testimony of one or two disinterested witnesses. Florida Probate issues are anything but simple so if you feel the need for assistance don't hesitate to contact a Florida Probate lawyer or Florida Estate Planning Lawyer. If you are considering a Florida Will modification, it may be wise to do a full disclosure to all beneficiaries and those close to you because it will provide peace knowing your final wishes have been acknowledged.

Florida Will Contests:

Occasionally a family member or friend passes away with a Florida Will that gives less than expected to an heir of the decedent. This situation usually gives rise to an inquiry about a will contest. A will contest happens when the disgruntled heir challenges the will by suing the estate under some legal theory claiming the will is invalid. Will contests commonly happen when the testator attempts to leave a small amount to an estranged child or a large amount to someone who would not be expected to inherit under a Florida Will.

To guard against the potential of challenges to the will, you may see a No-Contest clause added by the testator. A no-contest clause is a provision of a will that penalizes the beneficiary who challenges the will, or the contestant. While these clauses may be valid in other states, Florida law specifically makes them unenforceable. According to the Florida Probate Code, "a provision in a will purporting to penalize any interested person for contesting the will or instituting other proceedings relating to the estate is unenforceable." Furthermore, the Florida Trust Code, as amended in 2007, addresses no-contest provisions by making them unenforceable in any trust instrument. This does not mean that they should not be considered as they may be enforceable if one changes which laws the documents will be interpreted under.

The possibility that an estate could be tied up in Probate court for a long period of time is almost certain when there is a contestant of the will. Your beneficiaries will be prevented from receiving their money and assets for prolonged periods while at the same time the estate funds are being depleted by attorney's fees. If you would like information on ways in which Florida residents can protect their assets from these will contests contact a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer today for guidance.

During the late 1970’s through mid 1980’s, Gary Coleman became a promising young star on the television sitcom Different Strokes. His character’s catchphrase "What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?” made numerous people laugh during the shows 8 year run. Sadly after his passing and subsequent cremation, his relatives will not be able to hold a funeral until a judge in Utah decided who will permanently control his estate.

There are records that indicate Coleman created a will in 1999 and another in 2005. However, a handwritten amendment was added to the 2005 will later on, in 2007. The significant difference between the 2005 will and the 2007 amendment is that the 2005 will leaves his entire estate to ex-girlfriend and former business associate Anna Grey while the 2007 amendment leaves the entire estate to his ex-wife Shannon Price.

Price and Grey are both claiming in court they should be entitled to the entire estate but have significant legal obstacles to overcome. Price’s strongest argument is that Utah is one of the states that recognize holographic (handwritten) wills, although they must be entirely written in the handwriting of the person, signed and dated. However, Grey’s best argument is that the 2007 amendment was revoked because it was made while Price and Coleman were married. Since they divorced there is a presumption that the amendment was automatically revoked and struck from the will. Price is trying to rebut this presumption by claiming she and Coleman were living in a common law marriage at the time of his death.

In Florida, holographic wills and amendments are disfavored and held unenforceable because of the potential for coercion or duress. Most of these issues could have been avoided with a properly prepared estate plan. For information on avoiding estate planning consequences contact an experienced Florida Estate Planning Lawyer for any questions or concerns you may have with your Florida Will.

In Florida, it is a common principle of law that criminals should not profit from their crimes. Therefore, it follows that a murderer should not be able to inherit from the estate of their victim. The most common, but unfortunate event that would trigger a slayer statute would be when a spouse murders the other spouse.

Under the Florida statute, a surviving person who unlawfully and intentionally kills or participates in killing the victim is not entitled to any benefits under the intestacy code or the victim's Florida Will or Florida Revocable Trust. Property that was originally meant for the killer passes as if the killer had predeceased the victim. A final conviction of murder in any degree is conclusive for purposes of this statute but in the absence of a conviction of murder in any degree, the court may determine by the greater weight of the evidence whether the killing was unlawful and intentional.

There are many situations where the slayer statute could arise in Florida Probate proceedings of a Florida Estate. None of them are simple and should be dealt with quickly and efficiently. For more information on how to deal with slayer statutes contact a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer or Jacksonville Estate Planning Lawyer.

Florida Revocable Trust are managed by a Trustee who is the person(s), or in some cases entity, that hold legal title to property for the benefit of an equitable title holder.

Often the grantor of the Florida Revocable Trustselects the trustee who is responsible for making sure the beneficiaries are taken care of according to the grantor’s wishes. A single beneficiary or group of beneficiaries can become dissatisfied with the performance of the trustee when unfortunate circumstances occur. This may lead to a difficult court proceeding where the removal of a trustee is sought.

Under the current Florida statute a beneficiary, co-trustee, or the grantor of the trust may request the court to remove a trustee. When a removal request is made, it is up to the court to decide if there are sufficient circumstances that justify the trustee’s removal.

The Florida Trust statute expressly states that the court may remove a trustee if:

1) The trustee commits a serious breach of trust,
2) There is a lack of cooperation among multiple trustees,
3) The trustee is unfit, unwilling, or persistently fails to administer the trust effectively, or
4) There has been a substantial change of circumstances or all beneficiaries agree to the removal, the removal of the trustee best serves the interests of all of the beneficiaries, is not inconsistent with a material purpose of the trust, and a suitable co-trustee or successor trustee is available.

If you are the beneficiary, co-trustee, or grantor of a Florida Revocable Trust and believe any of the circumstances mentioned here apply to your trustee, contact a Florida Revocable Trust attorney or Jacksonville Trust Attorney who can discuss whether it would be beneficial to seek the removal and appointment of a new trustee.

Florida Estate Planning involves many situations where is the potential do have disputes over money or assets. Many problems arise from poorly planned and drafted estate planning and these can lead to fights amongst family members, IRS audits, and lead to high litigation costs. Focusing on your specific needs can avoid these pitfalls and can benefit those individuals with all sizes of estates.

It is important to first understand and define your objectives and resources. In order to get a custom-tailored Florida Estate Plan, a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer must be able to explain exactly what you want in terms you can understand. In some cases there are advantages in giving up control over your assets. Part of the process often involves talking with children and other beneficiaries about the estate plan and educating them on how to use it to their benefit after you are gone. Your plan can often offer your children protection into their lives from divorce or claims by creditors if used properly. In addition, many future disputes can be avoided by helping your beneficiaries to understand your goals, objectives, and reasoning behind the decisions you are making. While documents are a large part of the Florida Estate Planning process, effective communications, a clear understanding and education of all those involved will help the plan be successful when you are not there to manage it.

If you would like professional assistance with your Florida Estate Planning contact an experienced Florida Estate Planning Lawyer to help you in these matters.

Under ideal circumstances a husband and wife will agree to what the surviving spouse should receive when the other dies. However, many times when this doesn’t happen the surviving spouse receives a portion of the estate they are unsatisfied with. For example, an elderly couple who marries later in life may want to provide their grandchildren, so they leave 90% of their estate to them and 10% to their wife. In Florida, if the wife is unsatisfied with these conditions, she may make a claim for an elective share.

An elective share is statutorily defined as a right of the surviving spouse to a specific portion of the estate when he/she isn’t satisfied with the amount received under a Florida will. Taking a 30% elective share of the estate is something a surviving spouse has a right to in Florida. However, the elective share does not overcome a pre or post nuptial agreement between the husband and wife.

Many times the elective share consists of more than just the net probate estate. The assets subject to the elective share can be different than those subject to a probate and it is a complicated process to calculate what assets should be included in a Florida Elective Share. Therefore, the surviving spouse will receive 30% of the elective estate which include other property interests that pass outside of probate. To discuss what property is subject to the elective share and what amount may be due to you contact a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer or Florida Family Law Attorney to assist in the estate planning process.