Blog & Resources

That will depend on what her death certificate says. If the death certificate says her residence was Florida, then only the Surrogate in Florida will probate the will. Likewise, if the death certificate says her residence was Philadelphia, then only the Philadelphia Register of Wills will probate the will. If your mother was only visiting Philadelphia when she died, then she was still a Florida resident. If she had moved up here and then died, then she is Philadelphia resident.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My son refuses to get a prenuptial agreement, how do I shelter the money I will leave him from my future daughter-in-law?

If your son refuses to protect himself, you have other options to protect the money you leave him. Instead of leaving him his inheritance outright, through your will or Revocable Living Trust you can form a protective trust to hold his inheritance.

President Obama’s 2015 State of the Union Address was a throwback in some aspects. Specifically, Obama’s proposal included removing a veteran staple in the estate planning attorney’s playbook, the so-called “Angel of Death” tax loophole. Let’s take a look at exactly what the “Angel of Death” tax loophole is, and why you should care about it.

Beneficiaries of Florida estates will often approach us asking our help in keeping an eye on the estate’s Personal Representative (in most states this person is called an executor). This is often the result of the Personal Representative not sharing information about the estate with the beneficiary, the Personal Representative’s unreasonable delays, or when the Personal Representative’s behavior has raised the beneficiary’s concern.

An article in the October, 2008 Florida Bar Journal, written by a Florida Estate Planning Lawyer and former member of the Florida Grievance Committee, reported on the most common complaints heard by the Board against Estate Planning and Probate attorneys. This article describes how our firm guards against client complaints by addressing these issues before they arise.

Communication: The article reports that the most common complaint against Estate Planning or Probate lawyers is poor communication. Amazingly, some attorneys and lawyers simply fail to return phone calls. Our firm has a standing policy to return all phone calls within 24 hours. This policy keeps communication going with clients and, in most cases, keeps misunderstandings from arising. Most Probate and Estate Planning related cases affect clients unfamiliar with this area of the law. By answering questions and keeping clients informed we have built up an excellent practice. Satisfied estate planning clients in turn refer us to friends and family for other Estate Planning and Probate cases.