Articles Posted in Gay and Lesbian Estate Planning

Jacksonville Gay and Lesbian parents made news in the New York Times as being one of the biggest populations of gay parents in the country! According to information obtained from the 2009 Census Bureau, about 32% of gay couples in Jacksonville are raising children, second only to San Antonio, where the rate is at about 34%.

A large number of gay couples have entered into same-sex relationships after having children with their heterosexual partners in previous relationships. Other gay couples have children through sperm donation and surrogacy. Whatever brought children into your life, it is important to consult with a Jacksonville gay and lesbian friendly law firm to discuss ways to protect your children through the preparation of legal documents.

Advocacy groups report that children of same-sex couples are some of society’s most vulnerable children, who have fewer legal protections and less health insurance than children of heterosexual parents. Through estate planning documents you can ensure that your children will be provided for in the future. Jacksonville Guardianship allows you to prepare pre-need guardian documents so you select the person to care for your children in the event of your incapacity or demise. Talk to a Jacksonville Estate Planning Attorney who is sensitive to the unique issues facing children of gay and lesbian couples.

Jacksonville Beach gay and lesbian couples protect their property for those they love by having their wills made. If you die in Florida intestate (without a will), your partner will not inherit from you. Without a valid Florida will, your surviving family members have 1st priority, there are no provisions for non-family members. If you want your property and assets to go to your gay or lesbian partner, make an appointment with a Jacksonville Beach Estate Planning Attorney and prepare your will to provide for those you leave behind.

Although any person who would inherit from you had no will been prepared may have standing to contest your will, it is a difficult task to undertake. There are certain elements that must be proven to show that the will may be invalid. If you fear that a family member who does not approve of your same-sex relationship may contest your Florida Will or Florida Revocable Trust , it is important to obtain legal advice as to the ways you might prevent this.

According to an article in the New York Times, lesbians make about 6% more money than heterosexual women when factors like race, education, profession, location, and number of children are accounted for.

One theory is that “straight” women expect to end up with a husband or partner who will be the breadwinners in the family, so are more likely to make career sacrifices or focus their efforts away from the employment market. Other heterosexual married woman will give up their jobs to raise children as is often necessitated by the costs of day care (especially if their husbands earn more than them).

If you are a St. Augustine Lesbian who is in the Florida workplace, you may or may not be making more money than your heterosexual lady friends; either way, estate planning for the money you do make is important. Having a conversation with a St. Augustine Estate Planning Lawyer about your non-traditional family or same-sex partnership will provide you with various estate planning tools to insure that the hard-earned money you do make goes to those people dearest to you.

As a Florida lesbian and gay person in a committed relationship, you know that living in Jacksonville does not afford you the same legal rights as if you were in a relationship with a legally recognized spouse. Not only will you be ineligible to receive survivor social security benefits, or other government benefits when your same-sex partner dies, but, If you don’t have written documents in place, many partners will lose property, assets, access to their children, and the right to make medical and financial decisions.

Creating Estate Planning Documents in Jacksonville is the process of determining what you want to happen to your estate, once you are gone, which includes all the rights, titles and interests that you have in the property you own.

It is important for you to safeguard what you do have and consult with a Jacksonville Estate Planning Attorney who is sensitive to the issues prevalent in same-sex couples, to discuss the Estate Planning distribution methods which will allow you to provide for your surviving partner.

If you are gay or lesbian in Ponte Vedra or the Jacksonville area, having properly prepared Florida Advance Directives is essential. Whether you are young, healthy, and believe you will live forever, the fact remains, that if you wait until illness, injury, or disability to strike, you will not have a voice in your own future health care.

Florida Advance Directives are written documents created by statutory authority that express your wishes and desires concerning many aspects of your future health care. A Florida Living Will expresses your wishes for the type of life-prolonging procedures as well as pain alleviating medications you want in the event you suffer certain serious medical conditions. A Designation of Health Care Surrogate and HIPAA Release will allow you to choose the person you want to make your health care decisions in the event of your future disability, as well as to give that person authority to obtain and review your medical records.

Don’t wait until you are unable to make your own decisions. Contact a Jacksonville, Florida Gay and Lesbian Rights Attorney to discuss how these legal documents are vital to your maintaining control of your future healthcare.