Recent Blog Posts
What is a Competing Petition in Probate?
You may have been named executor of your deceased loved one’s estate. If so, you have a tough job ahead of you. You have to settle the person’s estate, but it is easier said than done. You may cross many issues, including competing petitions. Competing petitions arise when two or more people ask the… Read More »
How to Avoid Florida Probate If You Own a Mobile Home
Creating an estate plan? You may have questions about your assets, especially if you own a mobile home. Owning a mobile home in Florida does not automatically mean that it will have to go through probate when you pass away. With the right planning, you can pass your mobile home to your loved ones… Read More »
Probate of Lost or Destroyed Wills
Probate is often required when a person dies and there is a will in place. But what happens when you thought the person had a valid will but it ends up being lost or destroyed? A lost will is defined as an original will that cannot be found after the testator’s death. If an… Read More »
Closing the Probate Estate
Probate can be a long and drawn-out process. It can last many months or even years. So when the process gets near the end, it can be very exciting. Closing probate happens when the estate’s remaining assets are finally distributed to beneficiaries. Before this can occur, several key steps must be completed: gathering all… Read More »
What is the Florida Medicaid Estate Recovery Program?
Not many low-income people have a trust in place for when they die, but those who received Medicaid assistance may want to have it in order to protect their assets. Under federal law (and implemented in Florida under Florida Statute 409.9101), when a person who received Medicaid assistance dies, Medicaid can file a claim… Read More »
Complex Intestacy Situations
Many people avoid estate planning. They may not think they need a will. After all, they do not have many assets anyway. What would be the point? The point is: while estate planning can be complex in some cases, not having an estate plan can be even more complicated. Intestacy arises when someone dies… Read More »
Florida Probate Costs: What to Expect
In Florida, when someone dies, their estate often goes through probate, a court process used to settle the estate. Probate begins with appointing an Executor (Personal Representative), who is authorized to pay debts and taxes and then distribute remaining assets to beneficiaries. Many people ask about the cost of probate, but there is no… Read More »
Digital Wills and Electronic Signatures
In the past, important legal documents were solely in hard copy format and had to be signed in person. Services such as DocuSign have made gathering signatures a lot easier nowadays. And even documents such as wills can now be created and signed electronically. Digital wills and electronic signatures represent a major shift in… Read More »
Online Businesses and Probate Issues
If you own an online business, planning for its future is necessary. In today’s digital economy, entrepreneurs increasingly build wealth and careers through online stores, content platforms, digital services, and internet-based businesses. However, these ventures are intangible, account-based, and often tied to multiple online platforms, which can make transferring ownership at death difficult or… Read More »
Managing Foreign Assets in Probate
If you own property, investments, or other assets in more than one country, planning for what happens after you die becomes more complex. An estate that includes assets in different jurisdictions is usually called a cross-border estate, and it presents unique probate challenges that aren’t part of a standard domestic estate plan. Understanding how… Read More »