What Are Advance Directives?
When Florida lawyers use the term “advance directives”, what do we mean? Advance Directives is the umbrella term that describes documents that you put in place before you become incapacitated that are designed to speak for you if you do become incapacitated.
Estate Planning Project At Home
Being homebound due to the coronavirus has many challenges. One potentially unexpected challenge is trying to figure out how to […]
When Did You Last Update Your Durable Power of Attorney?
Twice in the past few weeks we have had clients come in with durable powers of attorney that are more than 10 years old. The durable power of attorney is the legal document that states who you want to handle your non-medical affairs if you are incapacitated and can no longer handle them yourself. Although Florida durable powers of attorney do not legally expire, they can become less effective due to changes in the law.
When Did You Last Update Your Durable Power of Attorney?
Twice in the past few weeks we have had clients come in with durable powers of attorney that are more […]
May is National Elder Law Month
The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (“NAELA”) has designated May as National Elder Law Month in part to facilitate discussions about long-term care planning and spotlight the steps involved in putting a long-term care plan in place.
What is the Difference Between a Living Will and a DNR?
Documents that give you the chance to document your health care wishes in case at some point in the future you are unable to state your wishes yourself are called medical advance directives. Two types of medical advance directives are the Living Will and the DNR (Do Not Resuscitate Order). Although they are both advance directives they each have a different job to perform.
Should Avoiding Probate Be Your Primary Estate Planning Goal?
“Does it avoid probate?” That is an important question to ask when evaluating ideas for how to leave assets to your beneficiaries. However, does avoiding probate automatically make it the best idea for your family? Is it necessary for every asset to avoid the probate process? Are there any advantages to having some assets go through probate?
The Florida Homestead Rules Can Create Surprises When Making a Will in Second Marriage Situations
The homestead is the house that the couple lives in as the marital home. It doesn’t matter that only one of the spouse’s names is on the title to the marital home, the homestead rights still attach to the property. The homestead rights are designed to make sure that the surviving spouse does not suddenly lose his or her home upon the death of the first spouse. However, in second marriage situations, sometimes this protection for the surviving spouse is a surprise and upsets the estate planning goals of both spouses.