Probate Check
“Prostate” and “Probate” are two words you do not want to get confused. If you are going in for a Probate Check, nobody needs a rubber glove. Probate is the way the court verifies a will, makes sure certain debts are paid, and oversees the distribution of a decedent’s property. Probate ensures that the court does not take shortcuts in asset distribution. My theory on probate is, get in, take care of it, get out. Probate is not a dirty word and it does not have to be expensive. Probate can take time, though. In some cases, depending on the size of the estate, tax implications, and desires of the testator, probate-avoidance methods, including trusts and pre-death distributions, are appropriate. However, I am not a fan of a rubber chicken dinner served to you in a hotel ballroom where they scare you into getting a trust. Not everybody needs a trust and not everybody needs a will. Seek competent legal counsel to discuss your circumstances to make a plan that best suits your intentions. Read More
Divorce & Estate Planning
If you cannot live with her, do you want her to get your house when you die? This is where divorce can be part of estate planning. Not everybody needs a will, but if you die without a will while you are still married, your house goes to your spouse. Even if your will was made before you got married, your spouse is still entitled to half your estate, the same as if you had died without a will. Some couples are “ABD” – All But Divorced – living in harmony separated from each other, but in Florida, unless they are divorced, they are still married. Should one of them die without a will, that person’s assets get distributed by the State according to the legal formula of Intestate Succession. Part of that formula is that the living husband or wife is entitled to the homestead property (unless there is a properly executed marital agreement). Divorce does not have to be expensive and it does not have to take a long time. If both sides are ready to sit down and take the necessary steps to complete the procedure, then a divorce can be over and done with in about […] Read More
Free Legal Lecture May 8: “Is Probate A Dirty Word?”
Are you a man over 50? Have you had your probate checked? Do you need to? My theory on probate is, get in, take care of it, get out. Probate does not have to be expensive and nobody needs a rubber glove. You can learn more about probate and estate planning at the upcoming Legally Speaking lecture, “Is Probate a Dirty Word?” on May 8 at River House (179 Marine Street, St. Augustine, Florida). Megan Wall, Managing Attorney for St. Johns County Legal Aid, will be the speaker for this FREE one-hour presentation which starts at 10:00 a.m. and is open to the public. Read More
Celebration of Death?
Sometimes it is less of a funeral and more a celebration of death…depending on the person and depending on how that person’s will is executed. So you did not like Uncle Bobby and he did not like you. If Uncle Bobby did not write a will and you were his closest living relative…you may stand to inherit his estate according to the process of Intestate Succession. His neglect of estate planning could be your gain, regardless of how you felt about each other. When a person dies without a will, their assets get distributed by the State according to a legal formula. Intestate Succession runs up to their grandparents and down their family tree until an appropriate heir(s) is/are found. In the absence of a spouse or descendant, property can pass to a parent or sibling. If there is none of the above, then a person who is a grandparent, aunt, uncle or first cousin may become a beneficiary. On the other hand, maybe you loved Uncle Bobby and he loved you, so much so that he wrote a will with you as his sole beneficiary (excluding his no-good children). However, if he failed to execute his will properly, his […] Read More
Free Legal Lecture April 10 – “Do You Need a Will?”
So you have a house, a car, and some money. Do you need a will? Megan Wall of St. Johns County Legal Aid addresses this question in her Legally Speaking lecture April 10. This FREE one-hour class starts at 10:00 a.m. at River House (179 Marine Street, St. Augustine, Florida) and is open to the public. For more information, call (904) 209-3655. Read More
Valid Will
Where there is a will, I want to be in it, but only if it is witnessed by two people sitting in the same room with each other and with the testator. If I am going to inherit money, I want to be a beneficiary listed in a valid will…and preferably one that is notarized. In the State of Florida, a will can be typed or handwritten, but in order for it to be valid, it must be signed in front of two witnesses who sign in the presence of each other. (This rules out video or sound-recorded wills.) Furthermore, a notary public can join in to make the will “Self-Proving,” meaning the validity of the witnesses should not be challenged when it is time to admit the will to probate. If you moved to Florida from another state, you may want to have your will reviewed by a Florida lawyer to make sure your will is executed properly according to Florida law. You may have the best of intentions after your death, but they might not happen if you have a will that is not valid in this state. Seek competent legal counsel to discuss your estate planning goals, […] Read More
Probate Debate
“Probate” “Prostrate” “Prostate” “Prostitute” – Do NOT get these words mixed up, especially not in front of your wife. Probate is the way the court verifies a will, makes sure certain debts are paid, and oversees the distribution of a decedent’s property. Probate ensures that the court does not take shortcuts in asset distribution. My theory on probate is, get in, take care of it, get out. Probate is not a dirty word and it does not have to be expensive. Probate can take time, though. In some cases, depending on the size of the estate, tax implications, and desires of the testator, probate-avoidance methods, including trusts and pre-death distributions, are appropriate. However, I am not a fan of a rubber chicken dinner served to you in a hotel ballroom where they scare you into getting a trust. Not everybody needs a trust and not everybody needs a will. Seek competent legal counsel to discuss your circumstances to make a plan that best suits your intentions. Read More
Heir of the Dog & Intestate Will
Once upon a time there was a dog who lived in a great junkyard. This junkyard had everything—broken furniture, old cars, and plenty of scratched up couch cushions. There were shady spots and sunny spots, and high spots and low spots. There were places where water collected for a convenient sip, and a vast infestation of tasty rodents. It was everything a dog could want…and a cat’s paradise. In fact, there was a cat who coveted the junkyard and wanted it very badly for himself. He had tried to sneak in, but the dog always told him, “No trespassing!” in no uncertain barks. So the cat decided to wait it out. Reasoning that cats have more lives than dogs, he figured he would get the junkyard when the dog died. Sure enough, one day the dog succumbed to his mortality. The cat packed his bags and was all ready to move into the junkyard, but when he got there, a large puppy had already taken up residence. “Who are you?” asked the cat. “Heir of the dog,” answered the puppy. “But the dog had no will,” said the cat. “How can you possibly be his heir?” At that point, the […] Read More
GoPro & Executing Your Will
Last month the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association partnered with camera brand, GoPro, to broadcast the action on ice from a new perspective. The small cameras mounted on players’ helmets gave fans a player’s-eye-view. While the viewpoint is expected to showcase athleticism, it is not the ideal presentation for your last will and testament. “This is your life,” is GoPro’s marketing tagline, “Be a hero.” Not that there is anything necessarily professional or amateur about estate planning, but that first statement does not apply so much when you are executing your will. The best way to “Be a hero” in estate planning is to make sure your will is executed properly, and that means putting it in writing and signing it in front of two witnesses who are in the same room with each other and you at the same time. (You can add a notary public to make the will “Self-Proving” so the validity of the witnesses should not be challenged when it is time to admit the will to probate.) A GoPro will is a no-go in the State of Florida where a video will is not valid. Even if you GoPro, you will […] Read More
The Intestate Option for Estate Planning
Some people like to plan ahead. They like to know what is going to happen…even after they are dead. Those people execute wills. Others, like Abraham Lincoln, take the intestate option. If you die without a will, your assets get distributed by the State according to a legal formula. Intestate Succession runs up to your grandparents and down your family tree until an appropriate heir(s) is/are found. In the absence of a spouse or descendant, property can pass to a parent or sibling. If there is none of the above, then a person who is a grandparent, aunt, uncle or first cousin may become a beneficiary. Not everyone needs a will. A valid will lets you control how your assets are distributed after you die. However, depending on your circumstances, you may not need a will, or at least not an expensively drawn one. Seek competent legal counsel to discuss your estate planning, and if you decide to write a will, to ensure your will is properly executed. Happy Birthday Abraham Lincoln! Read More