One of the most common questions we receive is: “What is Better in Florida? A Will or a Trust?” Many clients that we work with think that if they live in Florida and have signed a Florida Last Will and Testament, they no longer have to worry about a probate…
Designating a Preneed Guardian for your Minor Child in Florida Designating a preneed guardian for your minor child is one of the most important things a parent can do. A designation of preneed guardian is a legal document that permits you to choose the individual who will care for your…
Is Equal Fair with Estate Planning? Most of our clients want to treat their children fairly and equally. Splitting assets equally among the children may be easy, but is it fair? When dividing assets, it is often important to determine the needs of the kids as well as what you…
There have been many reports of unintended consequences related to the use of online wills over the past few years. In fact, I have written about many of these issues on this blog. It is important for individuals to understand that there is a difference between a document and a…
What is the Florida Statute Of Limitations on a Will? A common question Jacksonville estate planning lawyers are often asked is how long does a person have to Florida will contest a will or what is the statute of limitations to contest a will in Florida. As with most legal…
As a Jacksonville Will Lawyer I have seen an alarming trend in Florida. Most Americans live fast-paced lives with long work hours, bills to pay, and mouths to feed. After a long day, the last thing on our minds is our mortality. But studies show that Americans need to be…
Often we get clients who are interested in objecting to a will because of undue influence. In Florida there is a split of authority over what happens to a previous will when the most recent will is invalidated by undue influence. The results can be very different and may provide…
One question the top Jacksonville elder law and estate planning attorneys often receive is who can make burial arrangements in Florida. Does it have to be the next of kin, or can any family member or interested party make funeral arrangements? Another similar question we often receive is what happens…
Foreign Wills: Will a Florida Court recognize them? The world is becoming a more global community and with that means the United States has seen an increase in the amount of foreign-born individuals living, visiting, and investing in the U.S. economy. For instance, 12 percent of residential home purchases in…
The Florida District Court of Appeals recently applied a little known doctrine called the Doctrine of Dependent Relative Revocation in the case of In Re Estate of Murphy to save an estate from passing through intestacy. The owner of the estate was Virginia Murphy. Mrs. Murphy died in 2006 and…