Video FAQ
CORONA & POA
With the recent Coronavirus pandemic, many of us have wondered, how could I have been more prepared? While we cannot control everything that happens in our lives, we certainly can be better prepared to make sure that our loved ones are in a better position to take care of us, our finances, and our medical decisions if something were to happen to us.
Having a Durable Power of Attorney can help. If you become sick later and cannot make your own financial decisions, the people you appoint under the Power of Attorney can step into your shoes and make those decisions for you.
For example, if you're unable to pay your bills -- whether it's from another pandemic, or a personal or health situation -- the person who you appoint as your Power of Attorney would ensure your financial affairs would be taken care of.
For further tips and guidance, contact our office.
PROBATE:
If you’ve lost a loved one, it is understandably a very difficult time. You may not know when it’s the right time to retain an experienced probate attorney to help you through the court-supervised process.
If your loved one had a properly drafted will, their belongings would be distributed in accordance with the terms of their Will. If he or she dies without a Will, their estate must still go through the process of state probate. This process is designed to resolve creditor issues, clear title to real estate, and make sure beneficiaries receive all that they are entitled to.
We are here to help you sort things out in a time of confusion and grief. We guide you through each step and take the burden from you so you can take care of your family and yourself.
Contact our office for more information and guidance.
.
EXPERTLY DRAFTED WILL:
Properly drafted will
When you’re creating your estate plan, your will must be expertly drafted to ensure it meets all the strict requirements of Florida Law. If these requirements are not met, your will won’t be admitted to probate, or could be subject to challenge or attack in court.
Your will must be in writing, bear your signature, and be signed by at least two witnesses. In Florida, notarization of your will is not required, but it makes your document “self-proving,” which means it can be entered into probate without the need for witnesses.
If you already have a will, we can review it to ensure it complies with Florida law. You may also need to update your estate plan due to a change in income or a falling out with a loved one.
Don’t take chances that your wishes won’t be followed!
Contact our office for more information and guidance.
LIVING WILL:
A Living Will is a written expression of your wishes for end-of-life medical care. If you suffer from an irreversible and terminal condition from which doctors do not expect you to recover from, do you want life-support treatment?
Many people say if they are hooked up to ventilators or feeding machines or other kinds of tubes, they would not want to be kept alive. Perhaps you would like to be kept alive as long as modern medicine allows. Either way, it’s important you express it in your living will.
Your living will needs to be witnessed by two individuals before something happens to you. Once something happens to you, you may no longer be in a position to communicate these wishes. Then, your family will be at a loss, and you may not get the type of care that you would have hoped for.
For more information and guidance, please contact our office.
MEDICAL DIRECTIVES:
While we cannot control the next catastrophe or anything that might happen in our lives, we certainly can be better prepared to make sure that our loved ones are in a better position to take care of us, our finances, and our medical decisions if something were to happen to us.
An important set of documents that you need to have is Medical Directives. These are documents that appoint persons to make medical decisions for us in the event of an incapacity. We've seen this come up recently, with many Americans too sick to communicate with their healthcare providers. Families are at a loss as to what to do because they have no previous guidance. So, by having your medical power of attorney and your medical release already in place, you will be able to communicate your wishes to your physician through your appointed person.
For more information and guidance, contact our office.