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Part of my commitment is to minimize and mitigate indecisiveness in the estate planning process and to minimize suffering of all parties involved in a probate situation.
Musings and Counsel Podcast
Counseling is Part of My Job Description
How do I provide for my pets?
/RSS FeedThis, like other pieces of planning, can be hard. Florida allows pet trusts where money can be set aside for the specific purpose.
Many times people, as they age, decide there will be no more pets because they’re not going to run the risk of dying and not know where their animal will go.
How do people choose whom to name?
/RSS FeedThis can be tough – people feel obligated to name spouses, to name children, to name family.
Trust is the key. The people named have to be willing to honor your wishes – not there own – whether as a power of attorney, a healthcare surrogate, or a personal representative after you pass.
These can be VERY hard choices.
The Horrible Situations That Come Up
/RSS FeedHorrible situations are those that could be avoided with a competent counsel.
- Homes don’t go where someone wanted because they didn’t find out how to get it done.
- Money goes to people you wouldn’t give a dime to.
- Children wind up with family members who look good on paper and who you wouldn’t allow to babysit.
What’s an Estate Plan? Who Needs One?
/RSS FeedAn estate plan is where you’ve pulled together, in one place, all your “bounty” – physical and intangible – naming individuals to take care of you now if needed and to distribute the “bounty” after you’re no longer here
Anyone who is 18 needs a plan – tough things happen, and help is needed. Young people die, and without a plan, things are even more painful and heartbreaking. Without designating people, no one can help.
What Areas of Elder Law Do I Cover?
/RSS FeedI do Estate Planning – Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Surrogates.
I do special needs trusts when it’s judicious to do – already existing situation where it will be needed or potentially they’ll be a situation where it’s needed
And, I’ve learned the value of Elder Law – to protect assets of people who’ve worked hard, saved, and have assets, and they think they have to lose everything to apply for government help.
The Mess You Leave: Why People Avoid Thinking About Wills And Estate Planning
/RSS FeedWhy do people avoid thinking about the mess they might leave when they die.
People think they have it done when they don’t. For example, people have Wills that leave a home to their children and think that’s all they need; sadly, without some legal counsel. However, the children will need to probate the Will in order to own the home when they could have owed it outright with a little planning.
Estate Planning: You never know when your family will need it.
/RSS FeedIf you get hurt and are unconscious and don’t have a health care surrogate designated, there is no one to speak to a doctor
If you own a home in your name only and get married or get involved in a committed relationship, you might think that person owns the home when you pass – sadly, that’s incorrect.
A Simple Thing Like a “Will”
/RSS FeedAt one second after midnight on a person’s 18th birthday, parents lose the right to have access to doctors, banks, school…without the 18-year-old designating them, in a legal document, able.
A “Will” is also a valuable instrument for the tragic situation where someone dies and there’s a medical claim, or personal injury claim, or even if they’re part of a class action suit – like Camp LeJeune. The “Will” provides a place to receive proceeds from an unforeseeable, tragic event.
Revocable Living Trusts – Why would somebody have one?
/RSS FeedPeople often think they need a Trust when they don’t. It does depend on how large there estate is; are there minor children; are there special needs children or adults; are there situations where you don’t want someone to receive a large amount of money all at once.
And they’re ‘revocable’ in that whoever establishes the Trust can change it any time without permission of a beneficiary. Last Wills and Testaments, if filed with a court after a death, are available to the public at large. Trusts are not.
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