Menu
» Wills
Do You Need to Name Alternate Beneficiaries?
August 7th, 2019
What will happen to your estate if your primary beneficiary does not survive you? If your will does not name alternate beneficiaries, your estate will be divided according to state law. The way the state divides your estate may not agree with your wi…
Read More
Categories: Wills
Planning Your Funeral or Memorial Service
July 16th, 2019
Thinking about your funeral may not be fun, but planning your funeral or your memorial service in advance can be exceedingly helpful for your family. It both lets them know your wishes and assists them during a stressful time. The following are steps…
Read More
Are Handwritten Wills Valid?
June 30th, 2019
Maybe it was Patti LaBelle who asked, “Hey Joe, you wanna give it a go?”* But it seems it was Aretha Franklin who has left even more compelling questions after her death regarding what will happen to her estate based on three separate handwritten…
Read More
Going to the Chapel and You're Gonna Get Married? Florida Updates Your Will Automatically
July 13th, 2018
By tradition, last month (June) was the month of weddings. In all of that wedded bliss, then, maybe seeing an estate planning attorney was not at the top of your list. On one hand, you’re safe: Florida adds your spouse to your will in your esta…
Read More
Florida's Elective Share: Why a DIY Approach Usually Does Not Work When Disinheriting Your Spouse
February 23rd, 2018
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
Tags: Florida
Let’s Talk About Love*: Is a Simple “I Love You Will” Enough?
February 13th, 2018
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
Tags: Florida
Wrongful Death and Your Estate
February 6th, 2018
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
Tags: Florida
“I Think I Love You”* But Perhaps I Don’t Want to Leave You Anything: Deciding to Disinherit a Child
January 2nd, 2018
Several news sources in December covered the revelation about David Cassidy’s will: he disinherited his daughter. When I saw this story about David Cassidy, two things jumped out. What his family might have wanted to be a private issue is now publi…
Read More
Who Needs an Estate Plan? Everyone!
December 9th, 2017
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
The Blended Family: Providing for Spouses, Children and Stepchildren
March 28th, 2017
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
Tags: Florida
Attorney Jana McCreary
Houston Estate Planning Attorney Jana R. McCreary has been an attorney for over twenty years, a career move she made after working for over a decade with adults and children with intellectual disabilities and mental illness. Graduating summa cum laud… Read More