A testator making significant changes to his or her estate plan late in life is often a cause for concern, especially for beneficiaries whose share of the estate has been reduced or eliminated. They may wonder if a new beneficiary is manipulating the testator, whose...
Most people use their estate plan to leave the bulk of their belongings to their spouse, their children or both. However, a person’s will can name as beneficiaries virtually any person or charity they wish.Occasionally, people even name their pets as...
The ability to communicate is a vital part of any relationship. Few families that cannot talk to each other about anything, no matter how emotionally difficult, can be described as truly healthy. If we cannot come to our spouses, parents or siblings with our troubles,...
A common expectation for many people setting up their estate plan, or updating their existing plan, is that their spouse and children will continue to live in the family home if the testator dies first. Few would like the idea of creditors getting their hands on the...
How long the probate process takes in Florida depends on several factors. One of the most important factors is the size of the estate. It may make sense to hear that the larger the estate, and the more beneficiaries named by the decedent, the more complex probate...
People who die without an estate plan nevertheless will probably have assets and debts to dispose of. If the decedent gave no valid instructions for how to distribute his or her funds, where does the money go? In Florida as in the rest of the U.S., an estate or...
As human beings, we generally cannot know when the end comes. But we know that it will happen eventually, so planning ahead for the inevitable at least gives us the chance to control what happens to our property after we die. Florida law also gives you some control...
Not to be morbid, but death can happen at any time. Younger adults in their 20s and 30s often do not create an estate plan, especially if they are not married or do not have any children. They usually expect to live for many, many years, and in most cases they do. But...
For someone who has never been involved in the execution of a will, hiring a probate attorney may seem paranoid or insensitive. So some beneficiaries and trustees go it alone and hope for the best. However, most people are not experienced guiding a will through...
Though comedian Joan Rivers was likely not expecting the worst before an accident during throat surgery lead to her death earlier this year, it appears that she realized the importance of creating an estate plan. According to the Associated Press, it has been...
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