Estate Planning

Estate plans are a great tool for individuals to ensure that their loved ones will be looked after in the event that they can no longer care for them. At Edwards Elder Law, P.A., we are proud to provide trusted counsel to our clients in the St. Petersburg area. We help family members understand which questions they need to ask themselves to plan for the future, and then we guide them through difficult conversations about long-term care, wills, trusts, and other elements of estate plans.

Our firm has experience working with families and senior citizens who wish to draft an effective estate plan that fully encompasses their wishes and needs.

Why You Need an Estate Plan in Florida

The sooner you start planning, the more options may be available to you. Estate planning is crucial because Florida has a default estate plan for everyone. If you don’t create your own customized plan for your family and your specific wishes, then you and your family will be stuck with the plan that the state of Florida has put in place for you.

The outcome of a default estate plan could be very different from what a person would actually want, especially in situations involving single people, unmarried couples, and couples in second marriages with children from previous relationships.

What You Need in Your Estate Plan

You can find peace of mind through a well-drafted estate plan. We can work with you to determine your specific goals, as well as what assets or concerns you need to address now in the event of your incapacity or passing in the future.

We can address the following issues with you as they pertain to your circumstances and needs:

• Naming beneficiaries
• Making plans for your pets
• Long-term care medical planning
• End-of-life medical planning
• Inheritance of property and assets
• Funeral wishes
• Incapacity planning
• Care for disabled individuals
• The probate process
• Creating a legal safety net for a significant other if you are unmarried

By planning ahead, you can make sure that you are in charge of your legacy, not the state. We break down the estate planning process into manageable steps for you so that it doesn’t seem so overwhelming. Our goal is to help you achieve peace of mind.

When to Update Your Estate Plan

Estate planning is an ongoing process than enables you to prepare as much as possible for the future. You need to update your estate planning documents regularly to reflect changes in your family and circumstances.

We can fully explain your options so you can make wise decisions based on what you own, who you want to take care of, and how you want to take care of them.

Our assistance can help reduce the stress and anxiety associated with these decisions and responsibilities.

Don’t Forget Your Pets

Sometimes when people think of estate planning, they think of providing for their family members and maybe some close friends who feel like family, but oftentimes they overlook some of their most vulnerable family members – their pets. Pets can easily get lost in the shuffle that follows death if plans for their well-being have not been included in your estate planning documents.

At Edwards Elder Law, we can help you to put an estate plan in place that captures your wishes for all your family members, including your pets.