Estate Planning

When you create an estate plan, you make decisions that affect all your loved ones. Estate planning addresses the legal issues surrounding your death. These include how your debts are addressed, how your property is distributed, how your business continues to function...

Your mother just passed away a few weeks ago, and you and your siblings have yet to begin the painful process of cleaning out the family home. You figure there’s plenty of time. Once you finally get around to the job, you find everything gone and someone else living...

If you have an estate plan but are planning to retire in Florida, the one thing that you should be ready to do is to update that plan when you move to the state. Estate planning documents are typically valid in the state where they were created and may transfer, but...

Your estate plan is supposed to reflect your values, your hopes for your heirs and your final wishes – and that may mean leaving someone out. Who you can disinherit (and how) depends a lot on your situation. Here’s what you need to know: Can you disinherit a spouse?...

If you have never heard of the rather morbidly named practice of Swedish death cleaning, it is the practice of ridding your home of extraneous clutter and unwanted junk as you near the anticipated end of your life. Sometimes, the process begins when the person...

Many people think that their estate plan only deals with who’s going to get what when the creator passes away. There’s another facet to a comprehensive estate plan that they need to think about. This is who they want to take care of their affairs if they become...

Florida has long been home to an annual migration of “snowbirds,” or folks who live in colder states most of the year, retreating to second homes in Florida when the weather in their home states gets too chilly. What happens when a loved one who lives most of the year...

Many people use their estate plan to detail their wishes for their funeral. It’s also wise to make sure that there’s enough money for whatever kind of send-off you’ve chosen. Whether you prefer a small, family-only gathering or a rousing party, it’s likely going to...

Aside from forgetting to make an estate plan in the first place, one thing many people forget is to tell anyone they have made an estate plan. You might not realize how many problems it can cause. Let’s look at a few situations to see why. You have a horrific car...

Most people believe all they need to complete their estate planning process is a properly written will. However, this is not always the case. A good estate plan should avoid probate, protect your assets, save on taxes and designate someone to act on your behalf should...