Wills
&
TRUSTS
Estate planning is not just for "retired" people or "wealthy" people. Everyone has an estate. Your estate consists of everything you own— your home, real estate, furniture, personal property, vehicles, checking and savings accounts, brokerage accounts, life insurance, and retirement accounts. Everyone needs to plan their estate, and if you don't plan ahead, the state of Florida will have a default plan for you and it’s probably not the plan you want.
If you become disabled, a court, not your family, will control how your assets are invested and used. Being prepared and controlling how and to whom your estate is given when you die or become incapacitated is something all adults need to do.
To ensure your wishes are carried out the way you want, and not how the state of Florida dictates, you need to provide a set of written instructions. This is estate planning—making a plan in advance and naming whom you want to receive the things you own after you die. However, good estate planning includes much more than a basic will.
The cost of probate is almost guaranteed to be higher than the cost of planning ahead of time to avoid probate. The average cost of probate is 3% - 5% of your gross estate (this includes the market value of your home, life insurance proceeds, and all other assets at market value). Planning ahead means there is more to care for your loved ones and family when they will need it most.
Your estate plan is as unique as your family. Book a call today to begin learning more about your family and your objectives.