ESTATE PLANNING IN MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, IS A WILL ENOUGH?

I have received so many calls on this question. The answer is no, a will is never enough.  No, a will does not protect your loved ones. With a will, your loved ones still have to hire an attorney, and wait for probate court to determine the next steps. 

A will is simply a map for the court and a Judge to follow as a guide. When you have only a will or no will and assets left in your name alone with no paid-on-death beneficiaries, probate court is required. 

Let’s discuss a recent client example, a single female in her fifties owns a condominium, stocks, investments, bank accounts, a business, and life insurance and everything is in her name alone, with the exception of her life insurance with a paid-on-death beneficiary of her niece and nephew, six months and two years old. What a mess! 

WHY CAN’T I LEAVE MINORS AS LISTED BENEFICIARIES?

You can leave minors as beneficiaries, but that causes a whole new set of problems. Pursuant to Florida Statues, the presiding law for everything in Florida, if the amount inherited is over $15,000, a legal guardian will be required. I know your next question, what can we do to prevent this? 

WAIT A MINUTE, A WILL DOES NOT PROTECT MY LOVED ONES AND I CAN’T LEAVE MINORS MONEY DIRECTLY,  SO WHAT SHOULD I DO TO PROTECT MY LOVED ONES?

In my client example above, I created legal documents that protected my client and her minor loved ones. For example, a revocable trust now holds all of her assets and there is a provision where the distributions are limited to the money being used for their benefit for their health, maintenance, education, and welfare as the trust decides until they turn twenty-five and thirty, where at these designated ages, they may claim one half of their inheritance. 

We also created health care documents and a power of attorney and a pour over will. All of these documents, along with the trust, a deed moving her real estate into the trust, and a transfer of shares document for her business, will protect her and her loved ones during life and preserve her wishes at death.

I enjoy helping people plan and have done so for over twenty-eight years. Call or email today and I can protect you and your loved ones too. I look forward to giving you peace of mind and making this an easy process for all involved. 

WHY SHOULD I USE ALLY M. GLASER, PA TO HANDLE MY WILLS AND TRUSTS, ESTATE PLANNING, AND PROBATE MATTERS?

I sell peace of mind and protect my clients and their loved ones with my holistic approach to estate planning. I am authentic, knowledgeable, and caring. As an Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts and Probate Attorney in Miami Beach, Florida with over twenty-eight years of experience and both a Psychology and Law degree, I handle these matters with knowledge and sensitivity. I am familiar and comfortable with both the Miami-Dade probate court system and Broward County probate court and I know how to get things done. I handle both estate planning and probate cases, thus, I am familiar with the challenges of each and provide my clients with additional protections. Call or email me today to discuss your matters.  I am happy to help you and your loved ones during this important process.