Ensuring that your wishes for your estate are in such a form that the courts of your state will recognize them as legally valid is a critical element to effective estate planning. If there are errors or there is some issue that causes the courts to find your will to be invalid, you may be left with no say whatsoever regarding the distribution of your estate. The benefit you were attempting to provide to your family may be redirected in a way that leaves them with little or nothing.
Internet wills and other prepackaged materials can never offer you the same assurance that comes from working with a knowledgeable attorney who has seen how the courts interpret the laws of your state.
AV Preeminent* rated, Master of Laws in Elder Law, member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), member of the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys (AFELA)
At The Charles Law Offices, lawyer Susan Charles holds not only a Juris Doctor (J.D.), but also an advanced legal degree, a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Elder Law. This is a degree and focus that few attorneys in America have earned. We can help you with drafting a will that will accomplish the goals with which you are concerned.
Some of the strongest reasons to work with an experienced attorney rather than use a cut and paste Internet will include:
- Your estate plan must comply with the laws of the state where you live. The smallest mistake can render your will invalid and unenforceable. If that situation occurs, your family will be forced to administer your estate according to the Florida laws of intestacy. Working with our attorney can provide you with the peace of mind that your wishes will be respected by the courts.
- Everyone is concerned about taxes. Attorney Susan Charles understands the impact taxes can have on an estate. We remain current on developments in state and federal taxes to minimize the effect on our clients' estates.
- Some of your assets might pass outside of your will or trust. A number of assets may pass without being part of your will or trust. Joint accounts, assets with beneficiary designations, life insurance, annuities and retirement accounts are examples of assets that may pass outside of your will or trust. If the beneficiary designations are not properly handled, unnecessary complications may arise.
- Changing title to real property has real consequences. Any changes that are made to a deed, if not properly handled, can have dramatically negative implications that can affect mortgages, taxes and ownership.
- Joint accounts are part of your estate plan. Working with an experienced estate planning attorney is the best way to ensure that the use of joint accounts accentuates your estate plan rather than conflicting with your intentions.
- With proper legal guidance making gifts of your assets during your life can be a very effective estate planning tool. However, it requires the experience of a skilled estate planning lawyer to be able to fully understand how specific gifts will impact the rest of your estate plan. Taxes and other issues need to be considered when you are considering giving a gift.
Contact a Clearwater Invalid Will Attorney at The Charles Law Offices
If you are concerned with ensuring that your intentions for your estate are recognized by the courts, we can help you. At The Charles Law Offices, we take pride in the level of support we provide to our clients. To schedule a free initial consultation with our Florida lawyer, call 727.475.6340, toll free at 866.607.6531 or simply contact us online. We accept credit cards for our clients' convenience.
Offices in Clearwater - Largo - St. Petersburg
*AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories: legal ability and general ethical standards.
