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This is a brief overview of the basic documents of Estate Planning
Will
Durable Power of Attorney
Health Care Surrogate
Living Will
Musings and Counsel Podcast
What are the documents that make up an estate plan?
Who needs an Estate Plan?
/RSS FeedAt one second after midnight on an individual’s eighteenth birthday is a good place to start. Another good place is when someone buys a home, gets married, or has a child.
A fallout of not having one is what happened to Terry Schiavo in Florida while she was still living. A legal battle ran for years with her husband saying she never wanted to live in a persistent vegetative state while her parents argued all the way to the Florida Supreme Court that her condition wasn’t in the state her husband claimed and she should be kept alive.
What’s an Estate Plan and the Challenge of Dying Without a Plan in Place
/RSS FeedAn estate plan is about what happens at the end AND what happens while you’re still living. One of the consequences of not having a plan is that families have to deal with Probate – a pricey process where the state determines who gets what, what percentages they get, and how they get it. It can be avoided with proper counsel and planning.
A Little About Myself
/RSS FeedA chance to share the story of how I became an attorney is always an honor and always fun. It’s a tale of following God’s direction and finding an area of service that I love.
What documents does a person need?
/RSS FeedPeople need Last Wills and Testaments. They need guardians for minor children. They need Durable Powers of Attorney.
When’s the time to do this?
/RSS FeedIf you care about your family and don’t have a plan, NOW is the time.
If you don’t have a plan created by you, no worries! Whatever state you live in has a plan – it’s called ‘intestacy’ – it’s not inexpensive and often distributes an estate with money and/or property in a manner that has you rolling over in your grave.
What if you have documents from another state?
/RSS FeedThe general recommendation is to have documents from wherever you’re domiciled – meaning wherever you have registered to vote, where you purchased a home and have that state’s driver’s license.
In Florida, my practice is to recommend to snow birds – here for several months, that they have a Florida Power of Attorney and Health Care Surrogate.
Who REALLY needs an estate plan?
/RSS FeedWhat exactly is Estate Planning
/RSS FeedIt’s about what you own, who takes charge when you pass, who gets what at the end.
How are those directives established? Living Wills particularly?
/RSS FeedKnow the impact of having the document when it’s needed. It can save a family much strife and division.
About London Baker Law, P.A.
We have a unique perspective on estate planning that serves our clients well. We thoroughly review not just your assets and your wishes but your legacy. We ask the questions “What’s in the best interest of this family, how do we achieve those goals and what kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?” After answering these key questions, we help you determine the best course of action for your family going forward.
- estate planning
- probate
- elder law
- healthcare surrogates
- powers of attorney
- legal advice and counsel