Avoiding Probate in Florida

May 13, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Estate Planning, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

Avoiding Probate in Florida How to save your family time, money, and hassle Updated By Valerie Keene, Attorney Need Professional Help? Talk to a Probate Attorney. Avoiding Probate in Florida. Probate court proceedings (during which a deceased person's assets are transferred…

Zappos CEO had No Will and That Is a Mistake

December 29, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

If you pass away without a will, a state court generally decides who gets your assets and, if you have children, who will care for them.

How Do Joint Accounts and Beneficiary Designations Work in Estate Planning?

November 23, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

Remember that a will goes through probate, so a husband and wife typically try to avoid it by using joint ownership or beneficiary designations. However, they’re often mistaken by believing the will still controls their estate.

Not Having a Will Should Scare You

Your will is one of the most important documents you will ever sign. However, to think that over 70% of people don’t even have a will is, indeed, quite frightening.

Common Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid

Here are a few things to avoid on your way to an appointment with a qualified estate planning attorney to discuss your own estate plan, and a couple of others to keep in mind once you get there.

Use a Will to Communicate Your Wishes

You should have proper estate planning documents in place to protect yourself and your assets in the event of your incapacity, and so that you can control what happens to your assets after you die.

Estate Planning Short-Cuts Create More Problems

My idea: put our accounts in my wife’s name and put the land in our children's names. The way I figure it, when something happens to me, they won't need to do any of that courtroom mumbo jumbo that costs a few thousand dollars. What's your take on the workaround idea?