Recent Blog Posts
Brandon Special Needs Attorneys: How Can I Protect Benefits with a Special Needs Trust?
Brandon special needs attorneys are often asked what the impact is to benefits like SSI or Medicaid if a person with disabilities receives an inheritance from a loved one. The answer really depends on how the inheritance is handled. The short answer is that any...
Accessibility Options for Florida Voters with Disabilities
Election season is here, and Florida voters will soon have their chance to select a presidential candidate on November 3, 2020. Residents with disabilities who wish to participate in the general election can take advantage of a number of accessibility options to...
Brandon Will and Trust Lawyer: 6 Steps to Starting Your Estate Plan
When it comes to creating an estate plan, most people procrastinate for understandable reasons. For starters, no one likes to think about their death or the possibility that they could become disabled or otherwise unable to care for themselves. On the financial side,...
Ask a Florida Probate Lawyer: “I’ve Been Named as Someone’s Executor…What Should I Do?”
Florida probate lawyers often hear from individuals who were named as an Executor in a loved one’s will and are now struggling to understand their role, responsibilities, and what to do next to close out the estate. Sometimes we hear from folks who didn’t even know...
How a Pour-Over Will Works with a Special Needs Trust
While most people have heard of a basic Last Will and Testament, they may not know what a Pour-Over Will is and how it works with a Special Needs Trust. Essentially, a Pour-Over Will is used in conjunction with a Special Needs Trust and directs that any assets you...
Teachers and Coronavirus: 4 Estate Planning Documents to Have in Place
As colleges and schools attempt to restart in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Tampa will lawyers have been hearing from many teachers who want to learn more about putting an estate plan in place. Some have even told us that their Teacher’s Unions have...
Hillsborough County Probate Lawyer: 4 Common Situations When Probate Is Not Required
A lot of people have concerns about going through the Hillsborough County probate process after the loss of a loved one because they’ve heard it’s time-consuming and costly. What many people don’t realize, however, is that not every asset has to go through a lengthy...
Nursing Home or Assisted Living: How to Choose During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Even as we continue to navigate through this new world and the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re still tasked with ensuring our seniors receive the best care possible. Virus or not, there are going to be cases when our loved ones simply cannot stay in their...
Can I Change or Revoke a Power of Attorney? | Brandon Estate Planning Lawyer
A power of attorney, or POA, is a document that allows you to authorize another person to make decisions on your behalf. In this case, you are called the principal, the one granting authority. The person whom you grant authority to is called the agent or...
Tampa Estate Planning Attorneys: 5 Situations When You Should Update Your Living Trust
Most Tampa estate planning attorneys recommend that their clients re-evaluate their plans every few years. Part of that review should include taking a look at your Revocable Living Trust to ensure it's up-to-date. However, in between these regular review periods, you...
Brandon Will Lawyer: What to Know Before Setting Up a Life Estate
A life estate is a form of ownership of real property. Essentially, it gives someone the right to occupy and enjoy the full use of a property until the life tenant’s death. Creating a life estate is a strategy commonly used by seniors who wish to retain their rights...
Tampa Will and Estate Lawyer Answers, “Will My Old Estate Planning Documents Still Work if I Get COVID-19?”
Florida appears to be experiencing an early “second wave” or, at the very least, an uptick in coronavirus cases. We’ve been hearing from countless Tampa-area residents who have questions about their estate plans, and specifically whether any older documents they...
Tampa Special Needs Lawyer Answers, “What Happens to Any Money Left in a Special Needs Trust?”
Our Tampa special needs lawyers are often contacted after the death of a loved one with disabilities to find out what happens with any money left over in a Special Needs Trust. The answer to that question depends on the type of trust that was initially created, and...
Tampa Probate Lawyer Answers, “Can I Assume or Take Over Someone’s Mortgage When They Die?”
Most people have mortgages on their homes, and loved ones are often surprised that a mortgage doesn’t magically disappear when the property owner passes away. We often hear from heirs who want to know what their options are for dealing with an outstanding mortgage as...
Tips for Managing an Out-of-State Probate Due to COVID-19 | Hillsborough County Probate Lawyers
Florida is unique in that many of our residents split their time between our state and other parts of the country during the warmer months. As such, “snowbirds” (or even their families), may find themselves dealing with an exceptionally challenging problem during the...