South Florida Estate Planning News
Recent Posts and Articles
Take These Three Steps When Your Child Turns 18
If your child has reached the teenage years, you may already feel as though you are losing control of her life. This is legally true once your child reaches the age of 18 because then the state considers your child to be an adult with the legal right to govern…
Read MoreFlorida Nursing Home Tragedy Causes Rethinking of Disaster Preparedness
The recent tragedy in which ten Florida nursing home residents died when the nursing home lost power during Hurricane Irma is causing government officials to rethink disaster planning. In response to the deaths, Florida Governor Rick Scott announced a new emergency rule, requiring nursing homes and assisted living facilities in…
Read MoreUh Oh Irma! Hurricane Season is here – How to protect and prepare!
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. But follow these steps to make sure you are prepared: If your original, signed documents are not in a safety deposit box try the following safe places to store them. They need to be in a watertight container of some sort…
Read MorePersonal items may be inexpensive, but are priceless for their sentimental value.
My clients often come to me with a list of assets such as homes, bank and investment accounts that they would like to pass to their heirs. What is usually missing are the personal items that may not be expensive, but are priceless for their sentimental value. It is often…
Read MoreGeorge Michael’s partner ‘gotta have more than “Faith”‘ to inherit from the superstar.
At only 53 years old, it is hard to believe that superstar and former Wham! Frontman, George Michael, tragically died of natural causes on Christmas Day in 2016. He was found by, Fadi Fawaz, rumored to be his partner, who is now seemingly going to be kicked out of the…
Read MoreWho will look after your children?
According to a recent New York Times article, fewer than half of American adults (42 percent) have a will. This figure was quoted according to a recent survey published on Caring.com, a website that offers resources for older Americans and their caregivers. The most common excuse given for not having…
Read MoreSuperstar Prince – Super Battle over his Estate
A Minnesota Judge rules that six siblings are the heirs to Prince’s Fortune The music superstar Prince did not have a will! A judge just ruled that his six siblings are heirs to his fortune, but many more people are claiming to be heirs to the legend’s over 25 million-dollar…
Read MoreThe Case Against Do-It-Yourself Wills
Why do I need to hire an attorney to prepare my will? DIY wills are a dime a dozen in these days but can be a huge mistake costing your family and loved ones countless years in court, unnecessary taxes and legal fees. Many DIY wills are not executed properly…
Read MoreQueen of Mean: Rules From the Grave, But $12 Million to Dog May Be Trouble
[This article was originally published 8/31/2007] Wills can be powerful instruments, as the will of Leona Helmsley makes clear. The hotelier and real estate mogul became a symbol of 1980s greed and was given the nickname ”the Queen of Mean” after revelations of her tyrannical treatment of employees came to…
Read MoreTailoring a Will and Power of Attorney for Multiple States
If you own property — whether houses, bank accounts, or vehicles — in more than one state, do you need estate planning documents for each state? The answer is probably no, but you need to do some planning if you want to avoid going through probate in each of the…
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