Stuart, FL Estate Planning Lawyers
Will & Trust Attorneys Serving Stuart, Port St. Lucie & Martin County, FL
Taking the time to plan for your estate is an important part of planning for the future and ensuring affairs are handled in a manner you find appropriate. While estate planning is often a task that is put off for a myriad of reasons–including the fact that most people don’t like to think about their own demise–putting together an estate plan now can provide peace of mind and assurance. At the law offices of Kitroser, Lewis & Mighdoll, our highly skilled and experienced Stuart, Florida estate planning lawyers can help you to plan for the future.
What are the Elements of a Florida Estate Plan?
A comprehensive estate plan is comprised of multiple documents and legal agreements that specify how things will be handled when you are no longer able to communicate your wishes or are no longer living. Common estate planning documents include:
- Wills and Trusts. A Last Will and Testament, also commonly called a will, is a document that outlines how your assets will be divided upon your passing. Without a will, your assets will be divided in accordance with the rules of intestate succession. Wills can also be used to name a guardian for any minor children you have and a trustee over their inheritance until they reach a mature age.
- Trusts refer to an arrangement in which assets are held in a “trust” by a trustee, who then distributes assets to named beneficiaries. Trusts have many benefits, including the fact that they can be used to minimize taxes, and be used to distribute assets per your wishes.
- Power of Attorney. A Power of Attorney is a legal document that gives another person the authority to make decisions on your behalf if you are no longer able to do so. There are both financial and healthcare Powers of Attorney. When a Power of Attorney is labelled as “Durable”, it means that it remains effective if the person who is conveying the power to another person should become incapacitated in the future.
- Living Will/Advance Directives. A living will or advance directive highlights your wishes for end-of-life care, including your preferences regarding things like resuscitation, tube feeding, palliative care, and more.
In addition to the above documents, it is important to understand matters like estate taxes, the probate process, guardianship, elder law. will contests and inheritance disputes. Our lawyers can provide you with the legal advice you’re looking for.
The Importance of Creating Comprehensive Estate Plans
Regardless of who you are, your estate plan is important in protecting your desires regarding everything from your finances to your healthcare. If you have any assets and family members who depend on you, creating an estate plan is essential for mitigating disputes among family members about how your estate will be divided when you’re gone, ensuring that your dependents are provided for, and protecting your desires regarding distribution of those assets.
Call Our Martin County Estate Planning Lawyers Today
Our experienced Stuart & Port St Lucie estate planning lawyers at the offices of Kitroser, Lewis & Mighdoll are here to answer any questions that you have about the estate planning process and guide you through the process of creating the documents that are essential to your future. To schedule a consultation with our lawyers, please call us today at 772-763-1400, or send us a message.
The Stuart Estate Planning and Probate Lawyers at Kitroser, Lewis & Mighdoll welcome clients in Port St Lucie, Palm City, Hobe Sound, North River Shores, Jensen Beach, Port Salerno, Sewalls Point and all communities in Martin County and Florida’s Treasure Coast.
The North Palm Beach Estate Planning Lawyers of Kitroser, Lewis & Mighdoll, welcome clients from the cities of West Palm Beach, Stuart, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach, Jupiter, Tequesta, Juno Beach, Singer Island, Lake Park, Hobe Sound, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Lake Worth, as well as all of Palm Beach County, Martin County and South Florida.
