Florida Estate Planning
Why is Estate Planning Important?
Estate planning is a tool to protect your assets to be distributed according to your wishes after your passing or incapacitation. Not having devised assets, instructions, and other important decisions in writing can leave your family in distress, conflict, and in a state of confusion.
To avoid further stress during an already difficult time, consider having an estate planning package prepared for you, and for the mental peace of your loved ones. Here, at The Law Offices of Carolina Nunez, P.A. -- our Florida estate planning attorney, Carolina Nunez, Esq. is able to help guide you. Call us at: 386-753-4867
Estate Planning can include, but not limited to, the following:
FLORIDA
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
A Last Will and Testament outlines the testator’s (the person named on the will/future deceased) wishes after death. The goal of a Last Will and Testament is to carry out the wishes by assigning individuals, known as Personal Representatives, who is responsible for distributing assets accordingly. In a Last Will and Testament, a Florida estate planning attorney may be able assign certain responsibilities individuals of the testator’s choosing, create trusts, protect minors and their assets; provide specific funeral instructions, protect pets, specifically disinherit individuals, and more.
Many people opt to draft their own Last Will and Testaments using online services. Unclear language in a Last Will and Testament can easily become ambiguous or/and problematic under Florida law. As a result, those that believe that they have a right to the estate can contest the contents of the Last Will and Testament before the court. Having to spend thousands of dollars on lawyers after losing a loved one creates tension, stress, and animosity for families in trying to dispute and decipher the intentions of testator in the Last Will and Testament. The only way to avoid such a scenario is to consult with an estate planning attorney that can prepare the Last Will and Testament according to governing Florida state law.
FLORIDA
POWER OF ATTORNEY
A Power of Attorney is an essential legal document that allows you to grant authority to an individual, called the “agent,” that you appoint to handle typically financial and/or transactional matters as your representative. There are several different types of Power of Attorney documents in Florida. However, the most common are a general power of attorney or limited power of attorney:
Many have a general power of attorney in the event they become incapacitated or otherwise unable to act on their own behalf.
Oftentimes, a limited power of attorney is used to grant an agent a limited scope of authority for a specific purpose or limited timeframe. You might see these from time to time, usually in the insurance settings or car accident legal representation.
During your Florida estate planning process– it is a good idea to have both a Power of Attorney and a Last Will and Testament prepared together. Here, at The Law Offices of Carolina Nunez, P.A. -- we do just that.
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ADVANCED MEDICAL DIRECTIVE AND HEALTHCARE SURROGATE
When working with a Florida estate planning attorney, it is not just the after passing that one should be concerned about -- but also the near future.
This is where Advanced Medical Directives and Healthcare Surrogates play a major role. Healthcare Surrogates appoint an individual that one may trust to make medical decisions, discuss care with medical professionals, and access medical records. The Advanced Medical Directive states when to stop or continue medical intervention. These documents make it clear to loved ones as to what your wishes are.
FLORIDA LADYBIRD DEED | ENHANCED LIFE ESTATE DEED
A Florida ladybird deed (also called an enhanced life estate deed) is a form of life estate deed that gives the current owner continued ownership and control of the property until his or her death. The deed names the beneficiaries of the property to be transferred to upon the owner's death.
Proceeding the owner's death, the property is then automatically transferred to the new owners listed as the beneficiaries without the need for probate. With the assistance of a skilled Florida estate planning lawyer, the ladybird deed is an inexpensive way to transfer property after death.
CRYPTOCURRENCIES | NFTs | OTHER DIGITAL ASSETS
Technological evolution is reshaping the legal landscape. At our law firm, our Florida estate planning attorney considers the inclusion of cryptocurriencies (Bitcoin/Doge/Etherium), Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), gaming/Twitch accounts royalties, blockchains, and other digital assets when building a plan. These developments have represented a challenge that many traditional firms have not yet taken on. The reason for this omission is no less: the law evolves at a considerably slower pace than technology. While digital innovations are advancing by leaps and bounds, the regulations and the legal framework that governs them require time to adapt, understand and finally incorporate these changes.
In addition, it is crucial to highlight the importance of estate planning, not only for older people but also for the younger public. Digital assets such as cryptocurrencies and NFTs have democratized investment and the accumulation of wealth, allowing individuals of all ages to build a significant wealth. However, these assets present unique challenges in terms of succession and wealth management. Many young people who own these assets have not considered how they want them to be managed after their death. Wealth planning is essential to ensure that these digital assets, as valuable as any physical asset, are distributed in accordance with the wishes of the owner, thus protecting a digital legacy.
CONSULTATION
Our goal is to focus on the current clients we have, which hopefully means that you'll end up being represented by our office. Therefore, to maintain the best service and provide a personalized approach to our cases -- we limit the amount of cases we take and our time slots for appointments.
To accomplish this, we need to direct our attention to actual work and keep our new client intake as low as possible. To achieve this, we charge a consultation fee of $150.00 toward a consultation of legal advice for 40 minutes. The appointment is with the lawyer, Carolina Nunez, Esq. and not with a legal assistant. If you hire us, that rate applies to your service.
We reduce all of our rates for law enforcement, active duty military, retired military, nurses, firefighters, EMS/Paramedics.
My Commitment
As Your Florida Wills and Estate Planning Attorney
I am Attorney Carolina Nunez and I strive to make sure that our offices offer legal representation in accident cases in finding all avenues to justice.
During the case, I make it a point to personally connect with my clients so they know that their case is important to me. You deserve to know the how and why from your lawyer.