Complex Legal Challenges
In our estate and probate practice, beneficiaries often ask whether they will have to pay taxes on assets that they inherit. The answer to this often depends on what type of asset is involved and whether there is a gain or a loss on the asset. When a person owns...
When a person dies and a formal probate estate must be opened in Florida, the probate court will appoint a person to be in charge of the estate administration. In Florida, this person is known as a "Personal Representative." In other states, it is known as an...
Not uncommonly, we have clients come into the office after a loved one has died and ask for some assistance. Their request is often simple...for example: "How do I access Mom's bank account now that she's gone? Her Will says I'm supposed to get it. Can I take the Will...
If parents with minor children die, a Guardian will be appointed to raise and care for the children. Parents have the right to designate who will be appointed Guardian--so long as the parents do so before they die. If they do not, then a court will make the decision....
When a family member or loved one decides to challenge a Will (or a Trust) based on "undue influence," proof is often a challenge. Undue influence in executing a Will is not usually exercised openly in the presence of others. It is usually perpetrated in secret....
More and more often these days, it seems that after a family member or loved one dies, those left behind are unhappy with the way the deceased's estate is to be distributed through their Last Will and Testament. Often, the persons feel that their loved one has been...
Florida, like many states, has a convenient statutory provision when it comes to dealing with tangible personal property (items such as jewelry, furniture, keepsakes, etc.) through estate planning. Section 732.515, Fla. Stat. provides: A written statement or list...
There's an old expression: "All dressed up but nowhere to go!" This phrase has been interpreted to mean being completely prepared for an event that fails to materialize. This is sometimes true with persons who do a Revocable or Living Trust but fail to fund it. They...
There is no denying that your will is a vital part of your estate plan and probably forms the cornerstone of it. However, with people here in Florida and elsewhere living longer, the question of incapacitation needs to have an equally important place in your plan. Do...
Your father has passed away and after the funeral, you try to locate his Last Will and Testament. You find a photocopy but not the original. You do a quick search on Google and find that in Florida, you need to establish the original Will in order to file a testate...