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Florida Estate Planning Questions & Answers
2 Answers | Asked in Criminal Law, Estate Planning, Foreclosure and Immigration Law for Florida on
Q: How do I go about getting some pro Bono help with an illegal executor fraud And the omitting of a will

Their surplus funds $33,000 vehicles $28000 and a $25000 inheritance to be accounted for. I've been in the dark and told that I was not allowed to find out anything and so probate was over and we have never talked to this guy nobody knows him in now we're homeless because the house got... View More

Seril L Grossfeld
Seril L Grossfeld
answered on Dec 31, 2019

After the fact is the wrong time to start this. First, at least in Florida a non relative cannot be a personal representative if they live outside the state. Second a probate proceeding is a court proceeding and any irregularities should have been brought to the Judge's attention that is why... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Florida on
Q: My Grandmother passed away, I was her Durable POA. Now that she is passed I’m aware that the POA is no longer valid.

I’m in WI, she lived in Florida. What is my next step? She does have a will that’s in her safety deposit now, I can’t access since she has now passed. How do I get appointed by FL to handle my grandmothers affairs? Any advice will be much appreciated, I have no idea what to do. I am my... View More

Terrence H Thorgaard
Terrence H Thorgaard
answered on Dec 29, 2019

Assuming that she left significant property that needs to pass pursuant to the will, you will need to hire an attorney and apply to the court in Florida to probate the will and appoint a personal representative. There are procedures to get access to the will.

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3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for Florida on
Q: 16 siblings was life part of my Father’s estate, we are in a deadlock on how to distribute property. We have to pay taxe

16 siblings were left part of my Father’s estate, we are in a deadlock on how to distribute property. We have to pay taxes and keep up with City codes. We have tried establishing family meetings and voting. Some members will not participate in the voting and will not help with paying taxes and... View More

Nina Whitehurst
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answered on Dec 29, 2019

You can hire an attorney to file a partition action and force sale of the property.

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Florida on
Q: My elderly mom moved into a house I own. Should I add her to the deed to save real estate taxes?

My 75-year-old mother moved into a house I own. I am wondering about adding her to the deed, so that she can claim homestead exemption and save me money on taxes. However, would this be a financial detriment if she ever entered nursing care, e.g., would I have to sell the house to pay for her... View More

Tammy L. Wincott
Tammy L. Wincott
answered on Dec 27, 2019

You should visit with an estate planning attorney who understands medicaid as it sounds like you are worried that if your mom has assets and receives aid you are worried they would take those assets away when she passes. There are many ways to plan for this; however, you need to consult privately... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Florida on
Q: My father passed away in 2018 , living no Will behind.how can I dismissed myself from this messy inheritance from court?

His wife left a will on her name living all her assess to her family and my sister. How can I get myself out of this expensive and problematic issue?

Terrence H Thorgaard
Terrence H Thorgaard
answered on Dec 23, 2019

You can file something disclaiming all interest in the state. If you have an attorney (and I assume you do, otherwise I fail to understand how it's "expensive"), as your attorney to draft something to that effect. Otherwise, ask the attorney for the personal representative.

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for Florida on
Q: Can a Florida Will and Self Authenticating Document need to be notarized in NJ and by a New Jersey notary.

I would like to make will while I am in New Jersey although I am a resident of Florida.

Seril L Grossfeld
Seril L Grossfeld
answered on Dec 19, 2019

Yes you can make a will anywhere you just need to make sure that it is executed as required by Florida law, meaning at least 2 witnesses of legal age that are physically present when you sign and understand you are signing with the intent that it be your will, the self proving attestation also must... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Elder Law and Probate for Florida on
Q: My brother and I were left an account from my mother who passed with Merrill lynch, my brother is not filling out the

paperwork for the trustee certification for Merrill lynch account so I can transfer my portion into my name. what is my recourse? If he continues to drag his feet, this will go onto 2020 and we will have to file taxes another year for this..

Seril L Grossfeld
Seril L Grossfeld
answered on Dec 6, 2019

Some companies will split out your portion of the account and hold the rest for the other named beneficiary. People deal with grief in different capacities and this results in some people not wanting to deal with things like this as soon as their siblings are ready. Unfortunately, as a rule... View More

3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for Florida on
Q: If a will reads that proceeds initially go to surviving spouse (in Florida) and then, upon death of surviving spouse,

they are 2 be split between 4 children (2 from each spouse) can the surviving spouse legally transfer all funds to one of the children while the surviving spouse is still living?

Nina Whitehurst
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answered on Dec 1, 2019

It is not possible to answer your question without reviewing the will. The answer could go either way depending on how the bequest for the benefit of the surviving spouse was structured. If left to the surviving spouse outright then he or she can do whatever he or she wants with it, assuming no... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Florida on
Q: I have a mortgage on my home and it is in my name only, my wife is on the deed. If I passed away could she continue

making the payments on it.

My name is larry

Rand Scott Lieber
Rand Scott Lieber
answered on Nov 25, 2019

Once the mortgage company learned of your passing they would want your wife to refinance in her name since she did not sign the loan papers with them.

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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for Florida on
Q: How do I get a will written, probated, and a power of attorney assigned? And how much does this normally cost?

My mother had a stroke two weeks ago but is still of sound mind and body. However her blood pressure is becoming difficult to control and she wants me to get her estate in order. I need to help her get her will written and probated as well as obtain power of attorney and draft a DNR order. Not... View More

Phillip William Gunthert
Phillip William Gunthert
answered on Nov 24, 2019

You will need to have your mom speak with a Florida Estate Planning Attorney if she is in Florida. Costs can vary drastically from law office to law office based on hourly attorney fees or even flat-fee costs based on the law firms established billing. The documents that you want drafted can be... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Florida on
Q: My father died in July 2019 and he had a will for me but he is married to another women, how can I go about it?
Bruce Alexander Minnick
Bruce Alexander Minnick
answered on Nov 20, 2019

Advice: Find a copy of the Will and keep it handy. You may need it soon.

Your father's wife may not be able to get everything he had; however, under Florida law a married man cannot exclude his wife completely from his estate. In fact, your father's wife is entitled to the...
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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Family Law for Florida on
Q: My mother passed and left the house to me 100% her household items are in trust 50/50 to me and my brother

.. I have been boxing things up and have asked my brother and his kids to come and take anything they want..as there is nothing I must have... I have even offered to put what my brother wants in the garage until he can come get it... Yet he is telling me I am doing this too soon for him and I must... View More

Bruce Alexander Minnick
Bruce Alexander Minnick
answered on Nov 18, 2019

No, there is no law or rule that control this family situation. If it was my problem I would box EVERYTHING up and put it some small storage unit somewhere near where your brother and his family live. It cannot cost the estate more than $75 per month to do it; and even if it sits there for a year... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Probate and Estate Planning for Florida on
Q: My father had no will and my brother didn't even contact me to let me know he passed he is trying to take it all
Nina Whitehurst
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answered on Nov 13, 2019

Hire a probate attorney near where your father last resided to help you open a probate and petition to have yourself appointed as the personal representative of your father's estate. You can then ask the judge to order your brother to turn over all of your father's assets to be... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Foreclosure, Real Estate Law and Probate for Florida on
Q: Is a person who now owns a mortgaged home via JTWROS now exposed to a lawsuit by the lender if unable to pay payments?

Scenario: In Florida, Person A secures a mortgage and purchases a home and some time later adds Person B as a Joint Tenant w/ Right of Survivorship. Five years into a thirty year mortgage, Person A dies. As the ownership of the property transfers over to Person B, they are unable to cover the... View More

Seril L Grossfeld
Seril L Grossfeld
answered on Nov 12, 2019

Yes the person added to the deed would be named as a Defendant since they have an interest in the property being foreclosed. They would not however be responsible for paying any part of the mortgage obligation since they did not agree to the same. As a general rule this would also affect person... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Family Law and Landlord - Tenant for Florida on
Q: Ok so over two months ago my fiance and mother of my two children had let a few things out that eventually became known

That she had been living a double standard for almost a year so long story short we had words she packed up her things after trying to get me arrested over false accusations numerous ones at that she then went and placed a injunction against me for no contact with her or my two boy's. So cops... View More

Vanessa Vasquez de Lara
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Vanessa Vasquez de Lara
answered on Nov 12, 2019

You need to speak to an attorney immediately. You need to have the injunction against you reviewed and if valid, you must do an eviction/ejectment in order to get any third parties out of your house.

Good luck.

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption, Estate Planning and Probate for Florida on
Q: recently connected to biological father. my name was changed at a young age, he wants to add me to his will, how to?

he will not add me using my name, currently use. asked me to change name back to birth name, which I will not do(40 years of current name). would I need my original birth certificate in order to obtain the benefits of his will/estate? both my mother and adoptive father(whose name I took) are... View More

Bruce Alexander Minnick
Bruce Alexander Minnick
answered on Nov 6, 2019

Getting a copy of your birth certificate will not help. Unless you are listed in your biological father's current will as a beneficiary, and unless the will is probated, you will not be able to get anything from his estate after he dies.

2 Answers | Asked in Elder Law, Estate Planning and Probate for Florida on
Q: What is statute? If someone has dimentia and it’s medical records can they change poa and will
Jason E. Neufeld
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Jason E. Neufeld
answered on Nov 6, 2019

Just because someone has dementia does not mean that they, definitively, cannot sign a new POA or Will. The test is whether the person was lucid at the time they signed the document. In other words, did they understand what they are signing when it was signed.

Dementia is a spectrum....
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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning, Tax Law, Bankruptcy and Elder Law for Florida on
Q: Hello, my mom and dad are on SS. It is their only income and they live in Florida.

Due to health problems they are having financial difficulty. They have a bank issued credit card with $24,000 in debt. I've read that the bank can't touch their SS but my question is can they come after other assets like their house which they have a mortgage on or their car which is the... View More

Timothy Denison
Timothy Denison
answered on Nov 5, 2019

Yes. They can come after their assets such as their house and car, although they would be secondary to the mortgage holder on the house and the note holder on the car.

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Florida on
Q: My elderly parents cannot find their legal papers. The estate lawyer was Mowl. We can't find him. Can you help?

My elderly parents cannot find their legal papers...trust and living will... The Melbourne, FL lawyer who created them over 20 years ago was Mowl. But we can't find a listing for him anywhere. Can you help? Was he in a certain firm that might have retained their papers? Would the papers be... View More

Phillip William Gunthert
Phillip William Gunthert
answered on Nov 2, 2019

You should start by contacting the Florida State Bar as they can often help you in this regard, when an attorney leaves the practice of law, they usually should have a new referring attorney for their clients and papers, the Florida Bar would be a good place to start. Any papers he may have had... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Elder Law, Estate Planning and Probate for Florida on
Q: I am my parents primary caretaker and I have moved in with them full-time.

I am my parents primary caretaker and I have moved in with them full-time. What rights do I have as a caretaker and living in their home? Are there any legal documents that should be in place to protect me and/or my parent? And what type of law this is fall under, family law or elder law?

Rand Scott Lieber
Rand Scott Lieber
answered on Oct 29, 2019

In whatever state you are living with your parents you need to go see an estate planning attorney. They can help with the documents that you need for yourself and your parents.

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