Upon the death of a resident in Florida, a personal home or other real estate is often part of the decedent’s estate. What happens to these assets may depend on what estate plans had been put in place. In some cases, a person may choose to leave a home to a relative who will then live in the home. In other cases, a home or other property ends up being sold. This can happen when a will or a trust was in place or even Read More
ELDER FINANCIAL ABUSE A SERIOUS PROBLEM
Florida has long been a desired retirement destination for Americans and that continues to hold true today. However, that retirement is turning out to be more than just pleasant days on a golf course or enjoying the coastline and sunshine. Too many an elderly person in Florida is ending up as the victim of financial abuse and exploitation. To make matters worse, this abuse is being perpetrated by the people who are Read More
WHAT ARE SOME PLANNED GIVING OPTIONS?
Over the last couple of decades, the concept of planned giving seems to have gained a lot of momentum in Florida and the rest of the United States. As people consider various options when engaging in estate planning activities, thoughts about how to also incorporate some philanthropy make sense. Even donations to be made during the course of a person’s life can impact an overall estate and therefore make sense to Read More
INVESTIGATION OF JUDGE AND WIFE RESULTS IN TRANSFER
As more Americans live longer yet require different types of care, the issue of elder abuse has become more prominent than ever before. For some Floridians, there can come a time when they need to have a guardian appointed. A legal guardian can manage a person’s affairs and, in so doing, have access to the ward’s finances. The guardian may be a relative or other known person. However, there are also professional Read More
SHOULD I INCLUDE MY RETIREMENT FUND IN A TRUST?
If you are setting up a trust in Florida or even reviewing an existing one, now could be the time that you want to consider including your retirement funds in the trust. Because retirement funds have designated beneficiaries associated with them, they are not generally included in the provisions of a regular will. As Forbes explains, this approach is consistent with how life insurance policies are handled in estate Read More
UNDERSTANDING ELDER FINANCIAL ABUSE
Most Florida residents have probably heard about sad cases involving the physical abuse of an elderly person. Unfortunately that is not the only form of elder abuse that can be experienced. Some seniors can be taken advantage of and exploited financially. Potential victims, their family members, neighbors, friends, and caregivers should all know what signs to be on the lookout for. The National Committee for the Read More
DO YOU NEED A TRUST?
Many people in Florida hold the notion that estate planning is about preparing for eventual death. Forbes takes a different view on the matter and suggests it should be thought of as a way of assuming important control over your assets while you are still living as well as after you die. As you evaluate your options, you may wonder if a trust can be beneficial for you. That really depends on what you want to achieve Read More
HOW A WILL MAY BE CONTESTED
There may be times when a Florida resident is surprised by the contents of a relative’s will after the person dies. Sometimes this surprise is pleasant but, in other cases, it not. When a problem may exist with a will, the option to contest it does exist. AARP notes that this may be difficult but there are four avenues via which people can pursue the revocation of a will after the creator’s death. One reason to Read More
EVALUATING THE EDUCATION TRUST
If you are a parent, grandparent or other relative of a minor in Florida, you may wish to help with saving for that minor’s future college education. There can be many different ways of doing this. As you investigate your options, you may hear about education trusts. While these can be appropriate vehicles via which you can assist with facilitating higher education for a loved one, investing in them may or may not be Read More
ADULT GUARDIANSHIP IN FLORIDA UNDER REVIEW
Anyone in Florida who has faced the difficult situation of helping a loved one who has memory issues knows that the challenges are great. One of the challenges that can be faced is the need to identify a legal guardian. This can be required when an elderly person’s mental capacity becomes so impaired that they can be a danger to themselves or otherwise unable to manage their affairs. Example problems include a Read More
