Florida Estate Planning Lawyer Blog

December 26, 2013

How can I find a copy of my parent’s will or life insurance?

We get many calls from children who want to know where they can get a copy of their parent’s will or find out if they had life insurance.

First, if your parent is alive, you have no right to demand or see a copy of your parent’s will. While it would be a good idea for them to share it with their children there may be reasons why they have chosen not to.

If your parent is incapacitated, and you acting as the agent under a power of attorney or the guardian over the property, you may look for these documents in order to preserve your parents assets or provide for them. A guardian or agent must be careful to avoid taking actions that could be considered changing the beneficiaries. They may also not create a will for someone else.

October 24, 2013

Improper gift to a lawyer in a will or other estate instrument void

by David M. Goldman

New Florida Statutes §732.806, which is effective October 1, 2013, makes an improper gift to a lawyer in a will or other estate instrument void.

The new statutory provision is here: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0700-0799/0732/Sections/0732.806.html

The new Florida statute in effect tracks 4-1.8(c), Rules Regulating The Florida Bar and incorporates it into the probate code, and makes a violation of the statute a basis for voiding any part of a will, trust or other written instrument which makes an improper client gift to the drafting lawyer or a person related to the lawyer. The statute also provides exceptions to this prohibition, including gifts where the lawyer or other person is related to the person making the gift as well as title to property acquired for value from a person who receives the property which violated the statute.

October 21, 2013

How to Remove the Personal Representative of an Estate in Florida

by David M. Goldman

One or more of the persons interested in the decedent’s estate usually are unhappy with the personal representative (PR). Some have valid reasons, but others are influenced by sentiments of jealousy or by past rivalry. If you are unhappy with the PR of an estate in which you have an interest, you might be entitled to request the court to remove him or her. However, you must allege at least one of the below discussed causes to remove the PR of an estate. Animosity between you and the PR does not suffice to remove him or her from the appointment.

Causes to Remove the Personal Representative of an Estate

The Probate Code states the causes to remove the PR. Any interested person in the decedent’s estate can request the court to remove the PR if one of the following circumstances arise:

A court enters judgment declaring the PR incapacitated.
The PR suffers a mental or physical incapacity that renders him incapable of the discharge of his or her duties.
The PR fails to comply with any order of the court, unless the order has been superseded by an appeal.
The PR fails to account for the sale of property, or to produce and exhibit the assets of the estate when he or she is required to do so.
The PR wastes or fails to properly administer the estate.
The PR fails to give bond or security for any purpose.
The PR is convicted of a felony.
In the case of a corporate PR, the corporation lacks financial resources.
The PR has an adverse interest against the estate that will or may interfere with the administration of the estate. However, this does not apply if the PR is decedent’s surviving spouse and he or she is seeking to exercise his or her right to the elective share, family allowance, or an exemption.
The Probate Court revokes the decedent’s will designating the appointment of the PR.
The PR no longer has a domicile in the State of Florida and domicile in Florida was a requirement of the initial appointment.
The PR would not now be entitled to appointment.

Procedure to Remove the Personal Representative of an Estate

October 20, 2013

How to Object to the Appointment of the Personal Representative of an Estate in Florida

by David M. Goldman

A family member or someone you care for has just passed away and you have been served with a copy of the notice of administration of his or her estate. The copy should include the name and address of the preferred or nominated personal representative (PR) of the decedent’s estate.1 If you disagree with the qualifications of the PR , then you can object to the appointment.2 However, you must do so within the three months after the date of service.3 Below, you will find the available grounds for objecting to the appointment of the PR.

NON-STATUTORY GROUNDS

Intestate Estate

October 19, 2013

How to Create a Living Will in Florida

by David M. Goldman

Life is full of instances where taking a decision seems to be extremely challenging. The task is even more difficult if the decision concerns the medical treatment for a loved one that is incapable of deciding for him or her self. Deciding health care matters for patients that cannot do so is emotionally wrenching for families and represents an ethical dilemma for physicians. This difficult scenario is better illustrated with the Terri Schiavo case.

Terry Schiavo Sad Case.

Ms. Schiavo was sustained by artificial hydration and nutrition through a feeding tube for 15 years after suffering a cardiac arrest, triggered by extreme hypokalemia caused by an eating disorder. Ms. Schiavo’s husband, Michael Schiavo, faced a public legal struggle with his wife’s parents and siblings about whether Ms. Schiavo’s life-sustaining medical treatment should be continued or stopped. Mr. Schiavo and the two neurologists that he selected to testify in court stood for the position that Ms. Schiavo’s condition met the criteria for a persistent vegetative state and believed that her treatment should be stopped. Ms. Schiavo’s parents, siblings and the neurologists testifying in court for Ms. Schiavo’s estate stood for the position that Ms. Schiavo’s condition could improve in the future and believed that treatment should be continued.

October 16, 2013

How to File a Claim Against Your Agent for Breaching his or her Fiduciary Duties in Florida

by David M. Goldman

An agent is someone you chose to act on your behalf. If an agent acts on your behalf and under the scope of his or her authority, then you will more likely than not be bound to his or her decisions. However, your agent has the fiduciary duty to act with the highest degree of good faith on your behalf. If your agent failed to act under the scope of his or her authority or acted against your best interest, then he or she is liable to you and to your successors in interest.

THE PROCEDURE IN YOUR CLAIM AGAINST YOUR AGENT

1. File a petition in court requesting the judge to terminate your agent’s authority, to remove the agent, or to grant an appropriate relief.

2. Show the court that you shared a relationship with your agent where you placed your trust and confidence in him or her; and your agent undertook such trust and assumed a duty to advice, counsel, and/or protect you.

October 15, 2013

How to Create a Durable Power of Attorney in Florida

by David M. Goldman

In Florida, a Durable Power of Attorney (DPA) is a document that allows you to designate someone to act on your behalf if you ever become incapacitated. The person creating the DPA is known as the “principal” and the person receiving authority to act on your behalf is known as the “agent” or “attorney-in-fact.” Depending on the DPA, your agent will have authority to handle your financial transactions or to oversee your medical care.

Steps to Create a DPA

DPA for your finances: With this type of durable power of attorney, you can give a trusted person as much authority over your finances as you like. Your agent can handle simple tasks like sorting through your mail, or more complicated ones like watching over your investments. To create a Financial DPA follow the following steps:

September 6, 2013

Gun Trusts are not just for NFA firearms

by David M. Goldman

Do you own firearms? If so, an estate plan should include provisions on how to deal with your firearms in the event of your death. The problem with traditional estate planning or using the state’s default rules is that they are both designed to deal with objective decision-making while the thought process involved in giving someone a firearm is objective as well as subjective.

Think about the following issues that do not cause problems with a bank account or other financially based asset but could be devastating with firearms.

1) The location you your children or beneficiaries live at when you die.

September 3, 2013

Who has the right to make funeral / burial arrangements in Florida?

by David M. Goldman

Thumbnail image for probate.jpg Who has the right to make funeral / burial arrangements in Florida?

Florida Statute 497.005 defines human remains and who is the legally authorized person to dispose of the human remains.

38) ”Human remains” or “remains,” or “dead human body” or “dead human bodies,” means the body of a deceased human person for which a death certificate or fetal death certificate is required under chapter 382 and includes the body in any stage of decomposition.

August 31, 2013

Florida Asset Protection

by David M. Goldman

One of most common topics we discuss with our business and estate planning clients is asset protection. The best time to do asset protection is when you do not have any known or potential creditors. Unfortunately, this is often the least likely time to consider protecting your assets.

Today we have some innovative trusts that provide asset protection without the risks, expenses, and IRS compliance associated with Foreign ssset protection trusts or Domestic asset protection trusts (DAPT). A domestic asset protection trust is a trust created under state statute (not in Florida) which purports to protect the assets while still giving you access to the assets when there are no creditors. Unfortunately many states will not recognize the protections when there are assets which are located in another state. For example if you have your Florida property or bank account in a Nevada or other state’s DAPT, it is likely that a court in Florida may not offer you the protections you have expected.

Unlike a DAPT which relies on another state’s laws, our Florida Asset Protection Trust is an IGAP Trust which is based on statutory and common law principles regarding Trusts and Property and can be structured to protect the principal or principle and income of the property being held by the trust. The IGAP trust has no adverse tax consequences like some trusts do because it is taxed just as if you owned the property yourself. In addition some asset protection trusts lose the ability to increase the basis in the assets to the value at your death, but the IGAP Florida asset protection trust does not have this problem and receives the same tax treatment as if you owned the property yourself.