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Elective share

Florida's Elective Share: Why a DIY Approach Usually Does Not Work When Disinheriting Your Spouse

Imagine that two people, later in life, decide to get married. Both of them have their own wealth and savings. They each have established large retirement accounts, and they have savings set aside they want to pass to their children. Sure, they want… Read More
I Love You Will

Let’s Talk About Love*: Is a Simple “I Love You Will” Enough?

Many general legal practitioners will offer an “I love you will” to their married clients as a simple—and less expensive—means of estate planning. After all, simple sounds nice. And less expensive often gets people in the door. And who do… Read More
Wrongful Death and Your Estate

Wrongful Death and Your Estate

Most people have heard about personal injury lawsuits (and we’ve almost all seen the commercials). Someone brings these lawsuits when he is injured, for example, due to someone else’s negligent or intentional act. The damages are, in essence, int… Read More
Business Succession Pic

Business Succession: Does Your Estate Plan Include Your Business?

Only about ten percent of business owners have a business succession plan. Another thirty percent have only an informal plan. Thus, when it comes to estate planning, too often, owners of small businesses fail to plan for what happens to the business… Read More
Key Times Header

Five Key Times to Evaluate Your Estate Plan

Life can change daily. Sometimes our focus on what is immediately in front of us is all we can see. Thus overlooking how life changes affect our estate plan is easy. As this new year begins, let’s take a look again at five key times to evaluate… Read More
Categories: Hiring an Attorney
Everyone Needs Estate Planning

Who Needs an Estate Plan? Everyone!

If you already have an estate plan, well done! Granted, life brings changes. Those changes can necessitate updates to your plan. Your estate-planning attorney can help make sure your wishes remain in effect. For everyone else, we often see two types… Read More
Blended Families in Florida - Providing for spouses, children and stepchildren.

The Blended Family: Providing for Spouses, Children and Stepchildren

When dividing property, fairness is essential, but it’s also subjective. Thinking about wills and who you want to inherit your assets is difficult for anyone, but the process is more complex for blended families. Some of the same rules apply. M… Read More
Avoid unintended consequences from using a DIY deed

Don’t Let These Four Key Account Types Fall Through the Cracks: Name Your Beneficiaries

Your estate planning—that part naming whom you want to have things after you die—involves more than your will. You should also select whom you want to receive various accounts you have. These accounts can be given directly to those persons you na… Read More
Plan to Avoid a Mess

Are You Planning a Legacy or a Mess?

We probably don’t actually plan a mess. But without planning, often that is what we leave. A recent book by a Jacksonville author highlights this potential pitfall. The Florida Times Union this week featured an article about a new book by Jacks… Read More
5 Key Times to Evaluate Your Florida Estate Plan

Five Key Times to Evaluate Your Estate Plan

Life changes daily, it seems sometimes. Often, when those events take place that bring such change, we can be so focused on the change in circumstance, it’s easy to overlook how our estate plan might need to change too. Here are five key times… Read More