Tag Archives: Fort Myers Estate Planning Attorney
U.S. House Votes to Repeal Estate Tax
Tax reform has been a top priority for President Donald J. Trump and Republican leaders in Congress since the start of 2017. Recently, the House of Representatives passed a comprehensive tax bill that includes an eventual repeal of the federal estate tax. While this tax currently affects just a few hundred Florida estates annually,… Read More »
Florida Supreme Court Clarifies Restrictions on Marriage Rights for Persons Under Guardianship
Establishing a Florida guardianship means restricting a person’s legal rights. Under Florida law, this can include removing a guardianship ward’s right to vote, hold a driver’s license, seek employment, or even marry. And even when these rights are not removed outright, the courts may still impose certain restrictions if they are deemed in the… Read More »
How Florida’s “Slayer Statute” Can Affect Your Estate Plan
In the normal course of events, when you die your property passes as directed by your Florida will or trust. The courts will typically not second-guess your estate planning choices. If you want to leave a greater share of your estate to one child–or give your spouse everything and your adult children nothing–that is… Read More »
Palm Beach Court Rejects Efforts to Sue Professional Guardian
Florida guardianship practices continue to draw media and legal scrutiny. Recently a state court in Palm Beach brought an anticlimactic resolution to a long-running dispute over alleged guardianship fraud. The case reiterates the importance of careful estate planning to avoid the necessity for a guardianship in the event the worst happens to you. According… Read More »
Can Your Email Provider Refuse to Give Your Estate Access to Your Account?
In 2016, the Florida legislature adopted the “Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act.” This law, for the first time, created a formal legal process in Florida whereby a person could authorize an agent (through his or her estate plan) to access their various online accounts, including their email and social media. Such legislation was… Read More »
Will Congress Abolish “Stepped-up Basis” as Part of Tax Reform?
Republican leaders in Congress recently released an outline of their massive tax reform proposal. As we discussed recently, such talk should not delay your own estate planning. But you still need to keep an eye on the political negotiations over tax reform, as many of the yet-to-be-decided details may force you to rethink some… Read More »
