Estate Planning

The Florida courts may appoint a guardian over individuals who become incapacitated and cannot make legal decisions on their own. A guardian generally has oversight of his or her ward's personal and financial affairs, which may include providing instructions regarding...

When your marriage ends, updating your estate plan may not be your foremost priority. However, taking steps to make the necessary changes can provide peace of mind by protecting your assets for your children or other beneficiaries. Take these steps to adjust your...

Roughly half of all marriages in the U.S. end in divorce, so the odds are reasonable that even the most financially diligent individual in Florida may have to split things up among a blended family. When people from two different families are suddenly part of the...

Chronic diseases afflict over 130 million people nationwide. Many of them live in Florida, and they could spare themselves and family members financial headaches and losses with proactive estate planning. Chronic disease makes people prone to sudden medical crises or...

Florida residents who are concerned about the unexpected should make sure to include a durable power of attorney in their estate plan. They can use the document to give someone they trust the authority to make certain financial decisions on their behalf should they...

Individuals in Florida who are developing their estate plans should know that the inclusion of a trust can help make their estate plans more effective. A trust is a legal agreement between a settlor and a trustee. For estate planning purposes, a trustee agrees to...

When Florida residents think about making an estate plan, they often first address tangible assets like real estate, vehicles or even bank accounts and investment funds. However, some of the most important items that people own today are digital assets. These can...

Estate planning can introduce some particular challenges for people in high net worth families in Florida. First, property owners need to be as thorough as possible. This means fully understanding whether there are any special issues that need attention. For example,...

The primary concern for Florida single parents of minor children may be making sure their children are cared for by a guardian of their choice and that they can access the parent's assets. In some cases, the child may be able to live with the other parent. However, if...

Sibling rivalries and blended families may be among the issues a person in Florida has to consider when creating an estate plan, and the problem can become even more complex if the family is wealthy. Estate planning advisers suggest including a letter of intent that...