Estate Planning is something you do for your loved ones. Having a Will is a critical part of Estate Planning. Without one, the Court, guided by the Florida Rules of Intestate Succession, will decide how to distribute your assets, which may or may not be what you wished for.
Estate Planning vs. The Rules of Intestate Succession
The following scenarios briefly describe what happens if you neglect to do Estate Planning. Do you have a spouse and no children? Your spouse will receive 100% of your assets. But what If you have a spouse and have children from a prior marriage (or, children outside of marriage)? In this case, your spouse will receive 50% and the children will receive 50%. And if one of the children predeceases you? Their shares pass on to their children. Say you have no spouse and no children. Your parents are next in line. In most cases, parents are no longer alive, and then brothers and sisters are next in succession.
Absent of immediate family, the Court will then look to extended family. If you have no family at all, then the State of Florida will be your beneficiary. Does anyone really want that to happen? This is why Estate Planning is so important.
Estate Planning is important and we make it affordable and convenient
We make Estate Planning easy and affordable! Roughly two-thirds of people die without a Will, and we understand the many reasons why people do not want to deal with preparing a Will. Cost and Time are two of the primary reasons most people avoid Estate Planning. Our packages include all of the essential Health Planning documents (Florida Living Will, Power of Attorney, HIPAA Waiver, and Designation of Healthcare Surrogate), which are important components of Estate Planning.
Estate Planning can help your loved ones avoid the Probate process
Proper Estate Planning considers Probate, and the amount of time and the expense of hiring a Probate Attorney. One way to avoid the Probate process is by holding property or accounts jointly. Naming beneficiaries on your financial accounts, or “POD” (payable on death) create non-Probate assets. An Enhanced Life Estate Deed (also called a “Ladybird Deed”) is a way to avoid probate of what is likely your largest asset. This deed creates a “Life Estate” and then ownership passes to the “Remainderman” after death. Understanding Probate is an important component of Estate Planning.
Last Will and Testament Package
The most important Legal Document in Estate Planning is a Will. Having a Will helps you avoid the Rules of Intestate Succession. You can order a Will, or choose a package that includes the 4 essential Health Planning documents.
Our flat rate fee for a stand-alone Last Will and Testament is $149 for individuals, or $249 for a couple. Our flat rate fee for a package including Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, Florida Living Will, Designation of Healthcare Surrogate, and HIPAA Waiver is $299 for individuals, or $499 for a couple.
Health Planning Documents and Package
Some of our clients have asked for a stand alone package of these documents. These documents are an important part of Estate Planning, even if you have few or no assets. A Florida Living Will conveys your wishes to your loved ones and healthcare providers if you become incapacitated. The HIPAA waiver allows your doctors to discuss your medical conditions with the people named in the waiver. The Power of Attorney gives a loved one the ability to handle everything EXCEPT your healthcare decisions. Things like writing checks, applying for benefits, and more. The Designation of Healthcare Surrogate document is a Power of Attorney for medical/healthcare decisions.
Our fee for an individual document is $99, and for the package, $199.
Real Estate Deeds
A Ladybird Deed is also called a Life Estate Deed. This Deed is an Estate Planning tool to help avoid Probate by creating a “Life Estate” for owners to remain in their home for the duration of their life (or lives) while creating a “Remainderman” interest for the beneficiary (or beneficiaries).
We can also prepare a Quitclaim Deed or a Special Warranty Deed.
Our fee for a Ladybird, Quitclaim, or Special Warranty Deed is $149. Our price does not include recording fees for Official Records.
We are not Attorneys and therefore, cannot provide you with Legal Advice or a Legal Opinion.