Protecting Children with an Estate Plan
According to a 2019 survey, 57% of adults in the United States have not prepared any estate planning documents, such as a will or trust, despite the fact that 76% viewed them as important. Many believed mistakenly that it was not necessary because they did not have many assets. Estate Planning is not just for Read More
UPDATE ON REMOTE NOTARIZATIONS OF WILLS AND TRUSTS
Longa Law is implementing new protocols to minimize face-to-face contact to complete traditional signing ceremonies for Wills and Trusts with witnesses and a notary in the safest manner possible. While we cannot offer you a signing ceremony that is completely online or remote today, we expect that to be a reality by this summer. Florida’s Read More
TRUST BASICS: HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH A TRUST?
Trust law is state specific, and Florida Statutes Section 736.0402(1) provides certain basic requirements to establish a trust: The settlor has capacity to create a trust. The settlor indicates an intent to create the trust. The trust has a definite beneficiary or is: A charitable trust; A trust for the care of an animal, as Read More
TRUST BASICS: HOW MANY WITNESSES ARE NEEDED FOR A TRUST?
A Trust is essentially an agreement between the Grantor (sometimes called the Trustor) and the Trustees, who maintain the Trust in accordance with its terms. I tell clients to think of a Trust as a private treasure chest or safe deposit box for assets. Trust law is state specific, so in Florida, the Florida Trust Read More
SECURE Act New IRA Rules: Change Your Estate Plan – Forbes
It’s time to update your will or trust, if your estate includes IRAs and certain retirement benefits! The new SECURE Act and its IRA rule changes may make your current will or trust designations invalid or obsolete. This article from Forbes sheds some light on the new law: https://www.forbes.com/sites/martinshenkman/2019/12/25/secure-act-new-ira-rules-change-your-estate-plan/
FACE YOUR FEARS: Check Create Estate Plan Off of Your Year-End To-Do List
Last Friday, I helped one of my good friends complete her and her husband’s estate plan, and they finally signed the finished documents on a beautiful afternoon at her condo on the ocean. The process was difficult for her. Not because she had much to do; I did the hard work for her. But she Read More
Online DIY Wills & Trusts: Do you need an attorney to write a Will or Trust?
You can choose from many “do-it-yourself” Last Will and Testament or Trust form kits or online services that are far less expensive than an attorney. So, is it worth the money to pay an attorney to write your will for you? Well, an attorney may be less expensive in the end. Do you remove your Read More
Top 6 Reasons to Make a Trust
A Trust is an arrangement or agreement that allows a third party to hold and manage assets for a beneficiary or beneficiaries. A Trust allows you to bring all of your assets under one document and avoid interference by the courts. In Florida, the revocable, or “living,” trust is governed by Chapter 736, Florida Statutes. The revocable trust has Read More