Petitioning a Court to become the guardian of an adult is, unfortunately, not a cheap process. Many clients are very shocked to find out just how expensive becoming the guardian of a loved one can be. Not only are their court costs that have to be paid, but there are…
Florida Estate Planning Lawyer Blog
The law of charitable pledges
One issue that occurs in estate planning is whether or not a charitable pledge can be enforced on a person’s estate after death. Wealthy individuals often make pledges to their favorite charitable organizations during their lifetime, only to die before fulfilling the pledge. Executors are then placed in the difficult…
How to add a second member to a LLC in Florida
Limiting the ability for creditors to charging lien to the owner of a Florida LLC is a big concern for many residents. At least two members are required to limit a creditor’s ability to a lien, and adding another member to an LLC can be a tricky process. In Olmstead…
THE INALIENABLE RIGHT TO STAND YOUR GROUND
Joshua Prince and Allen Thompson have written a law review article which was just published on The Inalienable Right to Stand Your Ground that was published in the St Thomas Law Review journal. Many of our clients seek to protect their firearms by suing Gun Trusts or NFA Trusts, This…
How is Someone Deemed Incapacitated in Florida?
Florida Statute 744.331 outlines the legal process that must be followed in order to have an adult deemed incapacitated in Florida. Per the Florida Statute, the process begins when a concerned family member, friend, or other interested party files two separate petitions with a Florida Court. One petition is the…
When is a Guardianship needed even with a Power of Attorney in Place?
It is a very common practice as people age for them to visit an attorney for estate planning and execution of a Power of Attorney in order for safeguards to be put in place and to select a trusted family member to manage their assets, should they ever become unable…
Notarial will are not valid in Florida unless signed by the Testator
Black’s Law Dictionary defines a nuncupative will as a “will made by the verbal declaration of the testator, and usually dependent merely on oral testament for proof.” A Third District Appeals court in Florida recently ruled that oral wills, or nuncupative wills, that are not signed by the testator or…
Qualified Renunciation
We often receive calls regarding challenging a will or trust document. In Florida, before you can file a will or trust challenge, the contestant must renounce any benefit he or she receives under the document they are attempting to challenge. Reunification is an equitable doctrine in Florida. In 2013 the…
Florida Probate and claims from known or ascertainable creditors
There was a recent appeal by a creditor who claimed they were known or an ascertainable creditor and did not actual notice to creditors (40 Fla. L. Weekly S517a). The estate filed a notice in the paper giving creditors 3 months to file a claim. The known creditor missed the…
Types of Estate Administration in Florida
Each probate case is different. Minuscule but crucial variables in a case can easily be overseen and the wrong type of administration for the decedent’s estate can be chosen. To avoid this, I suggest that you discuss the facts of your case with a probate and estate planning attorney before…