When do I have to pay federal estate taxes? What are inheritance taxes? What is the federal exempt amount? If I inherit a million dollars from my grandmother, will I have to pay estate tax? Does Florida have an estate tax? West Palm Beach probate lawyers know that Florida does not have independent estate or inheritance taxes. However, you should ask your estate planning attorney whether you will still have to pay federal taxes.
West Palm Beach trust lawyers know that, in probate trials, witness testimony and video evidence can be very important. But what happens if the witness testimony contradicts what a video shows? Can a Florida probate judge choose to believe the witness over a video that literally shows opposite facts? What if a witness testifies that a decedent did not sign her own will, while a video shows that the decedent, in fact, DID sign her will? What if a Florida notary states that she witnessed the decedent signing a deed, when a video shows that the decedent’s sister forged the decedent’s signature on the deed? You may want to read a January 31, 2017 opinion from The Supreme Court of Florida, Wiggins v. Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Although this is not a Palm Beach probate or Florida trust case, it is a very important opinion, as probate litigators frequently rely on both witness testimony and video evidence.
Do you think that your mom’s will may be invalid? Was your dad’s will executed properly? What should my Palm Beach probate lawyer know about executing Florida wills and trusts? How many signatures are required? How many witnesses? Florida Statute 732.502 lists the requirements that must be followed in order to properly execute a will in Florida. If a will is not executed properly, you should speak to a trust and estates attorney about contesting the will. For a FREE consultation with Pankauski Hauser’s managing partner, John Pankauski, call (561) 514-0900 Ext.101.
What is Florida Probate Rule 5.270? Why should my probate litigator West Palm Beach be very familiar with this rule? What is a petition to revoke probate? You may wish to read Hall v. Hall, an April 27,2016 Third District Court of Appeal opinion.
What is undue influence in Florida trust and estates litigation? What factors need to be considered in regards to undue influence in an inheritance dispute? When do undue influence claims arise in Palm Beach or Delray Beach probate courts?
Will electronic wills replace traditional wills in Florida? What is different about an electronic will from a written one? Governor Rick Scott, our Florida Governor, has just vetoed the Florida Electronic Wills Act.
What is Florida’s dangerous instrumentality doctrine? What should probate litigators and trust attorneys know about this doctrine? What does it have to do with Florida trust and estate litigation? A February 21, 2017 First District Court of Appeal opinion discusses this doctrine and a Milton, Florida estate.
Florida trust and estates lawyers know that, in order to bring something to a court’s attention, you must have standing. In probate or guardianship court, this usually means that you have to be an “interested person” to the Florida estate or guardianship. According to the Florida Probate Code, who is considered to be an “interested person”?If you are related to the decedent, are you automatically deemed an interested person in regards to the decedent’s probate proceedings?
What happens when a person murders another person, does the murderer still get an inheritance? Do the murderer’s children still get an inheritance?If I murder my husband, can my children from another marriage still inherit under his will? A July 29,2015 opinion from the Fourth DCA discusses this issue.
It is shocking what some people will do for money. As John Pankauski, managing partner at Pankauski Hauser PLLC, states in Pankauski Probate Litigation Guide: Top 10 Probate Mistakes Revealed, “your family is going to fight over your wealth: when you’re gone and – perhaps – while you’re still alive.” On January 26, 2017 The Olive Press reports that a Ukrainian lap dancer allegedly plotted the murder of her millionaire husband in order to inherit his wealth.Did her husband have a proper estate plan in place? Does his wife inherit under his will? Can his wife still inherit if she is found guilty of murdering him?