Divorce is a time of many changes for those going through it, whether here in Palm Beach or elsewhere. With numerous tasks to attend to prior to the conclusion of the divorce process, it can be easy to forget that any wills and other estate-planning documents probably...
Year: 2018
Does your debt die with you?
When drafting a will in Palm Beach, accounting for all of your assets may seem an obvious step. Having a solid plan for the disbursement of your assets after you die should take a relatively high spot on your to-do list. What happens to your debts upon your death? Are...
Do trusts provide advantages that wills don’t?
When Palm Beach residents talk to anyone about estate planning, one of the first things they probably hear is that they need a will. While that is good advice, other circumstances involved could require more than just a last will and testament. Trusts have certain...
Beneficiary designations can affect estate administration
Palm Beach parents do what they can to protect and provide for their children. For those who want to make sure they continue to do so in the event of their death, they may decide to take out a life insurance policy that benefits the children. The way that the...
Probate administration: Make a list and check it twice
When it comes to closing out the estate of a deceased loved one, numerous tasks require the attention of surviving family members. In order to make sure that nothing is missed during the Palm Beach probate administration process, it would probably make sense to make a...
Were digital assets accounted for in estate-planning documents?
One of the primary duties of a Palm Beach executor is gathering all of the decedent's property. In most cases, he or she can look to the estate-planning documents for clues as to what property there is and where it may be located. However, if a plan fails to include...
Does probate always take a long time?
It could take months or even years to close out an estate. Many Palm Beach residents hear that when a loved one passes away. Fortunately, not all probate administration takes that long. In some cases, it could happen more quickly. Florida has what is called a summary...
What is breach of fiduciary duty?
If you have agreed to become the executor of someone’s Florida estate or the trustee of his or her trust, you have assumed a fiduciary role whether or not you realize it. While you may have many fiduciary duties depending on the specific provisions of the will or...
Some trusts are not really irrevocable
During their lives, many Palm Beach residents create an estate plan that they can change and that will serve them. Part of those plans may include revocable trusts, which means they can be changed, and that become irrevocable, which means they cannot be changed, upon...
Wills can either help or hinder the administration of an estate
Many in Palm Beach and across the country were saddened by the recent death of music legend Aretha Franklin. It's surprising that someone of her status and wealth did not even have a will. Without at least that document, the administration of her estate will likely be...