Hire an Experienced Estate Planning Attorney for Will Preparation
The most important estate planning document you must have to protect yourself, your family, and your property is a valid will. A will provides the details of who your heirs are, how you want to distribute your property between your heirs and who you designate to carry out your wishes. A will can also provide for the care of a minor dependent and set up a trust for the upkeep of the minor dependent until the child reaches a specific age designated in the will to receive his or her inheritance. Will preparation is a crucial step in the estate planning process.
Because your will is the most important document you have in your estate plan, you need a Palm Beach County estate planning attorney with extensive experience in will preparation. By hiring Jupiter estate planning attorney Richard S. Weinstein you can be sure that your will preparation will result in a clear and enforceable will under Florida’s probate laws.
What Happens if I Die Without A Valid Will?
If you fail to retain an attorney for will preparation prior to your death or the will that you execute is determined to be invalid, Florida intestate laws will determine how your property is distributed to your heirs. In other words, the state decides what happens to your property. This may or may not result in the same outcome; therefore, it is in your best interest to retain an attorney to discuss will preparation now.
Some issues your heirs may be forced to deal with if you die without a valid Florida will include but are not limited to:
- Some people you want to inherit property may not be included as heirs pursuant to intestate laws (i.e. more distant relatives, friends, charities, etc.).
- A will enables you to leave specific jewelry or family heirlooms to those you wish should receive them.
- You can only provide for the care of a pet through your will. Intestate laws do not provide for the continued care of a pet.
- Your heirs may not receive the property you intended to leave them and/or the percentage of your estate you wish them to receive.
- Intestate matters may take longer to finalize leaving your family without the assets they may need after your death.
Is Your Will Valid In Florida?
Consult a Palm Beach County estate planning attorney to ensure your Florida or out-of-state will is valid. For a will to be valid in Florida it must be executed by a person 18 years of age or older, be witnessed by two individuals, and executed when the individual is of sound mind. Experienced will preparation and will execution services are designed to make sure that these conditions are met, that your will does not violate Florida probate laws and can be admitted to probate by the court without seeking out witnesses to the will, who may no longer be available to verify their participation. Experienced will preparation services also decreases the likelihood that the provisions of your will be negated in a dispute.
Contact The Law Office of Richard S. Weinstein, P.A. at 561-745-3040 or online to discuss will preparation and other matters related to estate planning and Florida probate.