Estate Planning Edward S. Robbins, P.A. Fort Lauderdale Estate Planning

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Estate Planning

All estate planning tools have considerations (pros and cons). What is most important is that each individual consult with their estate planning attorney to design a plan that is appropriate for them. A client needs an estate plan tailored to their family situation, considering their respective assets, liabilities and tax situation. We have seen too many instances where a client relied on bad advice, half truths or the advice of someone who was simply trying to sell them something. Estate plans are as unique as the circumstances of the individual clients.

There are four documents which are typically found in a simple estate plan:

Last Will and Testament

This document represents the Last Will of the decedent upon death. It serves multiple purposes, among them, stating to whom the decedent intends to bequeath his or her estate; appointing a fiduciary such as a personal representative, Guardian for children, or a trustee (if the Will contains a Trust), and many other optional provisions such as burial instructions or tax planning. It should be noted that a Will effects only property in the decedents own name that will pass through the probate process. A Will generally will not effect jointly held property which names a survivor, assets which name a beneficiary upon death and insurance policies which name a beneficiary other than the decedent’s estate.

Durable Power of Attorney

This document appoints a fiduciary, an “attorney-in-fact”, to act on behalf of the Donor, and to survive if the Donor becomes incapacitated. Once the power of attorney has taken effect, the fiduciary has the authority to act on behalf of the donor with respect to the donors property (to the extent provided for in the power of attorney document, and in accordance with applicable law).

Health Care Surrogate Designation

This document allows the client to name a surrogate to make health care decisions, in the event he or she has been determined to be too incapacitated to provide informed consent for medical treatment and surgical and diagnostic procedures. This designation may permit the designee to make health care decisions, and to provide, withhold, or withdraw consent on the donor’s behalf; to apply for public benefits to defray the cost of health care; and to authorize admission to or transfer from a health care facility. This designation is not to be made as a condition of treatment or admission to a health care facility

Living Will

This document allows the client to instruct that his/her dying not be artificially prolonged if there is a terminal condition, an end-stage condition or a persistent vegetative state, and the physicians have determined that there is no reasonable medical probability of recovery from such condition. The client can instruct that life-prolonging procedures be withheld or withdrawn when the application of such procedures would serve only to prolong artificially the process of dying, and request he or she be permitted to die naturally with only the administration of medication or the performance of any medical procedure deemed necessary to provide comfort care or to alleviate pain. Finally, this document provides that in the event the client is determined to be unable to provide express and informed consent regarding the withholding, withdrawal, or continuation of life-prolonging procedures, a surrogate is named to carry out the provisions of this declaration.

In addition to the basic estate planning documents discussed above, there are numerous other estate planning documents to be considered including:

The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience in Florida probate, wills, trusts and estates. This web site is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

Edward S. Robbins, P.A.