Category Archives: Estate Trust Litigation
Florida Now Allows Electronic Wills
Florida recently passed the Electronic Documents Act (HB 409) that will take effect January 1, 2020. This law allows for electronic signatures, witnessing, and notarization of estate planning documents, including wills. Before the law goes into effective and questions arise, the Florida Department of State is working on specific procedures for the rollout and… Read More »
What Happens if There are Multiple Florida Wills in Probate?
Wills are an important Florida estate planning tool. If you pass away, your will will help speed the probate process along by advising the court how you want your assets to be distributed. In most cases, this can be a smooth process. However, there are circumstances that make this more challenging. Children, deaths, multiple… Read More »
What Happens When You Don’t Have a Will in Florida?
American families are busier than ever. Between work, taking care of kids and extracurricular activities, it can be hard to find time to sit down and think about estate planning. Parents with young kids especially have a hard time finding the time to discuss estate planning. Perhaps you don’t believe you have enough monetary… Read More »
Tips for Resolving Inheritance Decisions With a Blended Family
Blended families are more common than ever. A blended family is a family made up of a couple and their children from their previous marriage(s). Currently, 3 out of every 4 Americans who become divorced remarry, and 65% of all remarriages in the United States involve blended families in which a spouse brings in… Read More »
Heiress Gloria Vanderbilt Passes Away at Age 95
Nobody likes to think about their end of life. We are so busy with our day to day lives that it’s difficult to anticipate what we’d like to happen once we are no longer here. It is essential, however, to have an estate plan so that your wishes come to pass after your passing…. Read More »
Tips for Conducting Estate Planning Under The New Tax Laws
Many are relieved that the tax season is over for the year. However, just because it’s over and you’ve filed your taxes doesn’t mean that now isn’t a good time to review your tax and estate-based planning. President Donald Trump signed a tax bill into law on December 2017 that changes things up in… Read More »
Electronic Wills May Be Coming – But Are They A Good Idea?
Imagine it: you log into an app on your iPad and sign your Will electronically with your finger. Technological literacy is at an all-time high. More people are using technology to accomplish tasks once relegated squarely to pen and paper like signing wills. The future is here in terms of Ewills, but are electronic… Read More »
Undue Influence in Florida Estate Litigation
What is an Undue Influence Lawsuit? “Undue influence” is a specific claim in probate litigation. In a Florida undue influence claim, someone challenges the validity of another person’s Will, Trust, Deed or any other transfers made during life. Undue influence claims often arise when the person who wrote the Will is elderly, in a… Read More »
Testamentary Capacity in Estate Litigation Disputes
You have worked hard to provide for yourself and your family. You carefully select who you want to give your possessions to after your passing. Even after all of this careful planning, someone can still challenge the validity of your will. Challenges to testamentary capacity are one of the most common causes of estate… Read More »
Powers of Attorney – Conflicts of Interest
A Power of Attorney (POA) authorizes another person, called an agent or attorney-in-fact to manage your assets, finances, or other affairs. A POA, when used properly, can save your family extremely valuable time and money. However, designating the wrong or an untrustworthy POA can be detrimental to your estate, as POAs can abuse their… Read More »