One way to start out the new year is create an estate plan. Everyone should have an estate plan and should know what to include in their estate plan. There are several key documents to consider including in an estate plan. Durable power of attorney for financial...
There’s a lot that goes into estate planning. While you’ll certainly want to address asset distribution in a way that is beneficial for both your estate and your loved ones, you’ll also want to ensure that you’ve got the proper documentation in place to protect your...
Probate may be a lengthy, inconvenient, and costly process. Transfer on death designations, however, allow the transfer of assets to designated beneficiaries after a person’s death without undergoing probate. TOD A TOD designation allows the beneficiaries or a spouse...
Once a person has completed his or her estate plan, they may need to change it if they have children, their assets increase or decrease or there are other circumstances that cause the original plan to no longer fit their needs. They may not know how to approach...
If your parents are getting older, then you might find yourself worrying not only about their health, but also about whether they’ve got the right estate planning tools in place to ensure that they’re as fully protected as possible. It’s usually an uncomfortable topic...
When a Floridian creates a trust, they are doing so for many reasons including to maintain control where their assets go, have a say in how they are handled and to ensure certain criteria must be met so beneficiaries can use the proceeds. The court will play a...
When a Fort Lauderdale area resident’s parent passes away it can be an emotional time. Besides dealing with the grief that comes with a death of a family member, there can also be important legal matters to attend to. Settling a loved one’s estate is one such matter...
When someone dies, the assets of the deceased must go through the process of probate, during which the oversight of inheritances, bequests, trust allocations, the settling of debts and death taxes, and the payment of funeral expenses takes place. From a legal...
In some ways, estate planning is never finished because as the estate planner’s life changes, their estate plan should also change to keep up with the changes in their life. It is important for estate planners to have an estate plan that represents their wishes,...
When a Floridian takes the responsible step to create an estate plan, it is not necessarily permanent. Life changes will inevitably happen and those who have a will and experience those changes should be aware of how to effectively update or revoke their will. For...
Jennifer D. Sharpe, P.A.