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…
Florida Estate Planning Lawyer Blog
Insolvent Estates: Who Gets Paid First
Whether a death is expected or unexpected, the deceased will probably die with some outstanding debts. It is the responsibility of the estate of the decedent to pay whatever outstanding debts are owed. If you are wondering whether a debt owed by a recently deceased person is collectible, a probate…
Asset Protection: IRA’s and other Retirement Accounts
In a recent article by Kelly Greene of the Wall Street Journal, she explains methods in which individuals can protect their retirement accounts. Over an individual’s lifetime an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) can accrue hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars. There is a high possibility that these retirement…
Updating Life Insurance Beneficiaries Can Be Easy for Florida Families
Whether you want to completely alter the beneficiaries of your life insurance policy or simply add contingent beneficiaries, the process is not all that difficult. However, there are some common mistakes that occur which can result in unpredictable situations. An amendment to a will or trust document cannot change the…
Scam Targets the Elderly in Florida
align=”left” style=”margin-right: 5px;”Seniors Citizens in Florida are the latest to fall victim to the scam dubbed the “Grandparent Scam.” An article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel details how grandparents are scammed when they first receive a phone call from someone pretending to be their grandchild. The fake grandchild then informs…
Florida Supplemental Needs Trust
A Florida Supplemental Needs Trust (SNT), also known as Florida Special Needs Trust, is a unique trust designed to benefit an individual with a disability. Supplemental Needs Trusts can be broken down into two categories, third party and self settled. In a well-executed SNT, an unlimited amount of assets can…
Estate Planning Brings Relief
Planning for your own death may appear morbid to some people, but the knowing your financial affairs are in order brings reassurance. By acknowledging that death will eventually happen to everyone, the estate planning process can proceed. If you suddenly become ill or are diagnosed with a terminal condition, would…
Estate Planning and Commercial Services
Estate planning for Digital Assets is a topic that was covered in a two part article by Oregon Estate Planning Attorney on his Wealth Law blog. In the second part of his article Estate Planning and “Virtual Assets” – Part 2 Michael discusses the importance of determining who should receive…
Is a Virtual Asset Instruction Letter Enough to Protect Digital Assets?
Everyday there is becoming an increasing need for Digital Asset protection as more and more digital assets are created. In Estate Planning and “Virtual Assets” – Part 1, a recent article written by Washington attorney Michael Walker, he discusses digital assets and recommends doing two things to protect your digital…
New Study: Asians Have Increased Estate Planning Awareness
In a recent article published in the New York Times, Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop writes that Asians are paying more attention to inheritance planning. With a vast number of first generation wealthy Asians getting older, many heirs find themselves in court fighting over their parents’ estates. In the article, a Singaporean businessman…