Being chosen to administer a will can seem like an honor. After all, someone has entrusted you with overseeing their estate. You may discover, however, that you are carrying a heavy burden. Serving as an executor can be complicated and time-consuming. Your first steps...
Probate & Estate Administration
Your responsibilities as an estate administrator
When helping to administer someone else's estate, you act in a fiduciary capacity. In other words, you act for the benefit of someone else. The name for your role in administering the estate depends on what you are in charge of managing. If someone named you as the...
Estate planning for end-of-life wishes
Thinking about end-of-life matters can be uncomfortable. It can be difficult to imagine a future in which a person no longer has control over themselves, their bodies or their decisions. However, the fact is that many people will face this reality whether they planned...
Florida courts will not uphold no-contest clauses in last wills
If you have taken the time to create an estate plan, it's likely because you have a legacy in mind. Whether you hope to donate some of your assets to charity or ensure that your children and grandchildren are cared for after you die, that legacy is often your final...
Is probate a bad thing?
Creating an estate plan is important for many reasons. Doing so can ensure that a person's medical choices are respected, assets are distributed according to the maker's wishes and that surviving Florida family members have a clear plan to follow in the wake of their...
Important estate planning roles and who should fill them
Creating a comprehensive estate plan can be an empowering act. A person must take the time to tackle difficult questions, such as what will happen if he or she is incapacitated and unable to make medical decisions? How does the individual want his or her valuables to...
Estate planning for taxes and generational wealth
A well-laid plan can ensure security for generations to come. Even in Melbourne, Florida, individuals look to financial advisers and estate planning lawyers for guidance on estate taxes and planning. Recent changes to the tax code have affected the amount of...
Avoid probate with careful estate planning
The point of estate planning is to help an individual ensure that one's final wishes are honored after his or her death. By creating a will, many individuals in Florida intend to leave a set of instructions for how they want their assets to be distributed in the event...
Estate planning for pets in Florida
Pets are beloved members of many households and are often cared for like any other member of the family. A person does not necessarily have to be of wealthy means to make the pet part of one's estate planning. If individuals in Florida expect that their pets may...
Estate planning includes several factors
Confronting one's own mortality isn't pleasant, but taking steps now can ensure that one's relatives receive the inheritance one chooses for them. Estate planning can also help a person set guidelines for how they want affairs to be handled in the event that they...