In today’s world, it is common to see blended families full of biological and stepchildren. It is crucial for parents, who wish to leave an inheritance to their stepchildren, make a will or trust because stepchildren do not have the same inheritance rights as biological children. Florida’s probate laws do…
Probate is the system the court uses to administer a person’s estate, either through a will or through intestate succession. Clients often ask for ways to avoid the probate process, such as adding a child to their bank account or adding the child’s name to the deed. Adding a Child…
There are many situations where a parent may wish to disinherit a child, such as when the parent has been estranged from the child for years. Clients often wonder if they are obligated to leave assets to their children or if they are allowed to disinherit them completely. Florida’s constitution…
Adult adoption is not only legal, but is becoming a more popular way for people to ensure their estate is inherited by the ones who matter most in their lives. In Florida, the state law makes no distinction between child and adult adoption. According to the statute, § 63.042(1), “any…
Modern estate planning has changed with the fabric of the modern American family. It is more common to now see scenarios such as estranged parents who stay married to raise children, or even married couples that live their lives completely separated from each other. A common question asked by many…
Throughout the world, the engagement ring is known as a symbol of the love shared between two people who intend to marry. Engagement rings are expensive and often one of the most valuable assets a person will owns. However, marriages in today’s world don’t always last, and a big issue…
There was an interesting case published today regarding who got the remains of their son’s cremated ashes when the mother and father could not agree. One parent tried to state that the remains should be split and filed a partition case in much the same way as one would do…
We often get questions about contesting a will because of Undue influence in Florida. Undue influence is a cause of action that is used to challenge the validity of a will, trust, or other testamentary document. You can not challenge a will until the person who has created it has…
We get many calls from children who want to know where they can get a copy of their parent’s will or find out if they had life insurance. First, if your parent is alive, you have no right to demand or see a copy of your parent’s will. While it…
New Florida Statutes §732.806, which is effective October 1, 2013, makes an improper gift to a lawyer in a will or other estate instrument void. The new statutory provision is here: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0700-0799/0732/Sections/0732.806.html The new Florida statute in effect tracks 4-1.8(c), Rules Regulating The Florida Bar and incorporates it into the…