Florida probate lawyers know that there are some strange estate plans out there. One common concern is the care of family pets or grave sites. Do you know how your Florida estate lawyer can ensure the care of these non-human items? The answer is so the so called Florida honor trust. Do not know what that is? Check out this recent case out of Maine to learn more about probate in Florida and honor trusts.
Honor Trusts
- What is a Florida honor trust?
- Florida probate lawyers know that trust litigation is no laughing matter and there are rules to forming a valid trust in Florida.
- Do you know what they are?
- Has a Florida will contest lawyer explained what you can’t make a trust about?
- For the most part trusts should either have a charitable purpose or aim to support human beneficiaries.
- What about pets?
- This is where Florida estate lawyers use the so called honor trusts.
- Why do Florida estate litigators give them that name?
- Because the trustee here has no fiduciary duty he is trusted to serve the trust on his honor.
- Is there any way that a Florida estate lawyer could make a trust for an animal?
- Outside of honor trusts most probate lawyers Florida agree that is just not possible.
- Check out this recent case out of Maine dealing with animal trusts.
Estate of Thorpe
- A Maine town and a group of cat caretakers have filed suit against a group of estate trustees in a long running dispute.
- About what?
- A woman’s wishes that her life savings go to care for abandoned cats.
- What is the source of probate and estate litigation?
- A woman died in 2002 and left most of her $200,000 estate to give food, shelter and vet care to the stray cats of her small Maine town.
- So far though, only a fraction has actually gone to the animals.
- Lawyers took $16,000 and the trustees took an additional $22,000.
- That seems to leave a lot left for the cats so why is everyone fighting?
- Last week the trustees were sued for excessive billing.
- How do you prove excessive billing in Florida probate litigation?
- How do you see this case ending up?
Want to learn more?
Check out this recent news article on the weird case of the cat probate lawsuit, click here.
- Watch free Florida Trust, Probate & Guardianship videos, which include important topics of Florida estate, guardianship, attorneys fees, & trust law.
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