What are the three secrets to what a surviving spouse in Florida inherits automatically and guaranteed? What is a surviving spouse? What should Orlando and West Palm Beach probate lawyers know about surviving spouses and inheritance rights? Have you heard of a Florida surviving spouse’s elective share? Elective share is a right that a husband and wife have to a guaranteed inheritance from their deceased spouse’s Florida estate. The law regarding elective shares in Florida has recently changed, so its important that you and your inheritance lawyer understand the changes.

Have you just become a ward in a Florida guardianship? Were you appointed a Florida guardian? Have you been deemed incapacitated by a Florida guardianship judge? What is Florida Statute 744.3215? Did you know that if you are deemed incapacitated in Florida, certain rights may be taken away from you? Do you know what rights you now have?  If you are a ward in Florida, or involved in a guardianship proceeding, you may want to read Florida Statute 744.3215. It lists the rights that a person retains when determined incapacitated and the rights that may be removed.

Florida probate lawyers who handle litigation know that, while family members may “fight” over money and property, often times, there are very strong personal feelings involved among brothers and sisters. Your experienced trust and estates lawyer should know how to handle the emotional issues in addition to the law. This is because non-legal issues, such as disdain for family members, are often major “influencers” to litigation.

Did you know that certain rights can be taken away from you if you are deemed incapacitated by a Florida guardianship court? What can you do to protect yourself from becoming the ward in a Florida guardianship matter? How can an estate plan benefit you, even before you die? When should you consult with a Florida estate planning lawyer? How can an estate plan help you to avoid a guardianship?

Can I inherit under prior Florida wills? In Florida, how do I inherit if someone dies without a will?Are you involved in an estate or inheritance lawsuit West Palm Beach where someone is contesting a will? Do you have a relative whose estate is about to pass through intestacy? What is the doctrine of dependent relative revocation? 

When can you freeze an account or get an injunction over financial assets? Are you involved in probate litigation involving estates, Palm Beach inheritances and/or trusts? Has a trustee, or someone who had access to someone’s money, misused a power of attorney or improperly taken money?

Can a Florida divorce court compel one of the spouses who is divorcing to keep a life insurance policy even after divorce? Although we are probate lawyers, not family law lawyers, we frequently get contacted regarding the issue of life insurance . Many times, we get calls from family law and divorce lawyers, or people who were a party to a divorce, when one of the spouses passes away. The Florida lawyer or spouse calling realizes that they may be a creditor of the deceased ex-spouse’s Florida estate.

Are you involved in a guardianship in Florida? Are you facing a guardianship hearing in West Palm Beach or Miami? Do you need an experienced guardianship lawyer? Has your right to contract been taken away from you in a guardianship proceeding? If you are facing an incapacity proceeding, but have not yet been determined to be incompetent, can you hire your own Florida lawyer? What if you already HAVE been deemed incapacitated by the Florida guardianship court? You may want to read a recent Third DCA opinion, Jacobsen v. Busko. 

Are you involved in a West Palm Beach guardianship? Does the ward want to hire a guardianship lawyer to represent him or her in the Palm Beach guardianship proceedings? Did you know that, if you are deemed incapacitated by the court, important rights may be removed from you? Can a ward choose which Florida guardianship attorney  he or she wants to hire? A recent Third DCA opinion, Jacobsen v. Busko, answers these questions. 

Are you the ward in a Florida guardianship? Have you been deemed incapacitated and appointed a guardian to represent your interests? What is a guardianship in Florida? Can a ward hire a guardianship lawyer? What happens if a ward contacts a lawyer directly to hire him or her? You may want to read a December 19, 2018 Third DCA opinion.