Does a Florida Trust Need to be in Writing?

Uncategorized • Jan 4, 2019

For the testamentary aspects of a revocable trust to be valid, what formalities are required? What is required to properly execute a Florida will? What is Florida Statute 732.502? Do Florida wills and trusts need to be in writing? Do Florida wills and trusts need to be witnessed and signed? Does a Palm Beach will or trust need to be notarized? Florida Statute 732.502 lists the requirements that must be followed in order to properly execute a will in Florida. How is this relevant to a revocable trust? You may want to read a recent Second DCA opinion Kelly v. Lindenau.

This case discusses what is required to execute a valid trust in Florida. According to Florida Statute 736.0403(s)(b), the testamentary aspects of a revocable trust are invalid unless the trust document is executed by the settlor of the trust with the same formalities as are required for the execution of a will. The Florida Probate Code requires that wills must be signed in the presence of two attesting witnesses and that those attesting witnesses must themselves sign the will in the presence of the testator and of each other. Therefore, West Palm Beach estate litigators know that a trust or trust amendment must be signed by the settlor in the presence of two attesting witnesses and those witnesses must themselves sign the trust or trust amendment in the presence of the testator and each other. In this particular case, trust amendments were executed in the presence of two witnesses but were ONLY signed by ONE of the witnesses, not both. Therefore, the amendment was deemed invalid by the Second DCA.

Here is Florida Statute 732.502 in its entirety:

Execution of wills.—Every will must be in writing and executed as follows:

(1)(a) Testator’s signature.—

1. The testator must sign the will at the end; or

2. The testator’s name must be subscribed at the end of the will by some other person in the testator’s presence and by the testator’s direction.

(b) Witnesses.—The testator’s:

1. Signing, or

2. Acknowledgment:

a. That he or she has previously signed the will, or

b. That another person has subscribed the testator’s name to it,

must be in the presence of at least two attesting witnesses.

(c) Witnesses’ signatures.—The attesting witnesses must sign the will in the presence of the testator and in the presence of each other.

(2) Any will, other than a holographic or nuncupative will, executed by a nonresident of Florida, either before or after this law takes effect, is valid as a will in this state if valid under the laws of the state or country where the will was executed. A will in the testator’s handwriting that has been executed in accordance with subsection (1) shall not be considered a holographic will.

(3) Any will executed as a military testamentary instrument in accordance with 10 U.S.C. s. 1044d, Chapter 53, by a person who is eligible for military legal assistance is valid as a will in this state.

(4) No particular form of words is necessary to the validity of a will if it is executed with the formalities required by law.

(5) A codicil shall be executed with the same formalities as a will.