Inheritance

Do It Yourself Wills in Florida – be very cautious

October 8, 2021 | by Chepenik Trushin LLP

DIY Estate Planning: Can I Make a Will Myself?

While a steady drive towards technology has been growing for decades, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic tremendously increased our reliance on technology, effectively changing the the way we do nearly everything, including estate planning. Do-It-Yourself (DIY) online services offering legal templates and forms have gained popularity in the wake of the stay-home orders, popular for their convenience and low cost. DIY estate planning forms, such as like a last will and testament, codicils and health care or financial powers of attorney, created without the guidance of an attorney can create several issues.

Take, for instance, the case of Aldrich v. Basile, which the Supreme Court of Florida called “a cautionary tale of the potential dangers of utilizing pre-printed forms and drafting a will without legal assistance.”[1] In Aldrich, a women used a DIY will template that willed several assets to her brother. After creating this will, she inherited some property and large sum of money. Her will, however, did not contain a residuary clause, which accounts for all property not specially bequeathed in the will. Upon her death, her brother and nieces began suit to determine the rightful owner to the inherited money and property, each claiming it was theirs. The Florida Supreme Court held that because the will did not contain a residuary clause, the money and property would pass through intestacy (the law that happens when someone dies without a valid will), meaning it would be split according to the default Florida laws. This case demonstrates the detrimental impact of an online will template can have when it does not adequately address your estate’s specific, changing needs.

Decanting the Trust – What you need to know

September 17, 2021 | by Chepenik Trushin LLP

Can an Irrevocable Trust be Changed? Trust Decanting under Florida Law

You do not have to be a Sommelier to be familiar with the concept of decanting wine. “Decanting”- the pouring of wine from its original bottle into a different vessel- is a technique utilized for two contemporaneous purposes; two separate the wine from any sediment that has formed it its original container, and to aerate the wine to enrich its flavors. It may be surprising, however, to learn that a similar legal concept exists for trusts, and is valuable for similar circumstances. As its name suggests, “trust decanting” is when a trustee creates a new trust, moving all the assets from the initial trust into the second trust, to either correct a mistake or unintended result- the hypothetical “sediment” that the initial trust may have incurred, or to strengthen the original purpose of the trust.

Under Florida law, the power to decant a trust is granted to any trustee other than the settlor or beneficiary who has the power to invade the trust principal; called an “authorized trustee.”[1] Following a 2018 revision to Florida’s trust decanting statute, there are now three distinct ways in which a trustee may decant;[2]

Elective share in Florida – When a wife or life partner (spouse) is not included in a Will

August 26, 2021 | by Chepenik Trushin LLP

Florida’s Elective Share: Part II

Our previous blog post two weeks ago addressed Florida law regarding the protection to surviving spouses provided by the elective share from the perspective of estate planning (Elective Share – what is it and why you should know more about it). This post focusses on the options of a surviving spouse after declaring elective share. However, electing against the decedent’s estate may not always be the most beneficial option for a surviving spouse. Depending on the circumstances, a surviving spouse’s pretermitted share of decedent’s estate can be much larger than their elective share, and therefore, in some cases, it may not be beneficial to utilize the elective share.

Intestacy and Pretermitted Spouse

Elective Share – what is it and why should you learn more about it?

August 9, 2021 | by Chepenik Trushin LLP

How does Florida’s Elective Share Affect my Estate Plan? Part One.

What is an “Elective Share”?

In situations where the decedent’s will has left their surviving spouse very little, or nothing, Florida law protects surviving spouse’s in two major ways: The Elective Share and Homestead. While both of these laws may affect your estate plan in significant ways, this blog and the next blog will focus on the elective share. A surviving spouse has the right to claim an elective share of the decedent’s estate, often termed “electing against the will.” By opting to claim their elective share, a surviving spouse can essentially supersede the terms of a will and bequests to other people in order to obtain a percentage of the decedent’s estate.

Inheriting real estate property in Florida? Here’s what you need to know

July 13, 2021 | by Chepenik Trushin LLP

Should I disclaim my Inheritance? When It’s Right to Say No

Florida law allows a beneficiary to “disclaim” any interest in or power over property that has been left to them. A disclaimer is a legal tool to refuse the acceptance of an interest in or a power over a property, governed by a series of statutes called the Florida Uniform Disclaimer of Property Interests Act, and by relevant federal tax law.

Why Disclaim?