How Do You Handle Probate?

Estate Planning, Inheritance, Personal Representative, Probate, Wills / Executor, Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, Probate, St. Petersburg Estate Planning Attorney

While you are living, you have the right to give anyone any property of your choosing. If you give your power to gift your property to another person, typically through a Power of Attorney, then that person is your agent and may also give away your property, according to an article “Explaining the basic aspects probate” from The News-Enterprise. When you die, the Power of Attorney you gave to an agent ends, and they are no longer in control of your estate. Your “estate” is not a big fancy house, but a legal term used to define the total of everything you own.

What's involved in the probate process in Florida — The basic steps involved in the probate process are similar in most states.

Property that you owned while living, unless it was owned jointly with another person, or had a beneficiary designation giving the property to another person upon your death, is distributed through a court order during the probate process. However, the court order requires a series of steps.

First, you need to have created a will while you were living. Like most legal documents, a will is valid when it is properly signed. However, it can’t be used until a probate case is opened at the local District Court. If the Court deems the will to be valid, the probate proceeding is called “testate” and the executor named in the will may go forward with settling the estate (paying legitimate debts, taxes and expenses), before distributing assets upon court permission.

If you did not have a will, or if the will was not executed correctly and is deemed invalid by the court, the probate is called “intestate” and the court appoints an administrator to follow the state’s laws concerning how property is to be distributed. You may not agree with how the state law directs property distribution. Your spouse or your family may not like it either, but the law itself decides who gets what.

After opening a probate case, the court will appoint a fiduciary (executor or personal representative) and may have a legal notice published in the local newspaper, so any creditors can file a claim against the estate.

The executor or personal representative will create a list of all the property and the claims submitted by any creditors. It is their job to ensure that claims are valid and have been submitted within the correct timeframe. They will also be in charge of cleaning out your home, securing your home and other possessions, then selling the house and distributing your personal furnishings.

Depending on the size of the estate, the executor or personal representative’s job may be time consuming and complex. If you left good documentation and lists of assets, a clean file system or, best of all, an estate binder with all your documents and information in one place, it can alleviate a lot of stress for your executor. Estate fiduciaries who are left with little information or a disorganized mess must undertake an expensive and burdensome scavenger hunt.

The executor or personal representative is entitled to a fiduciary fee for their work, which is usually a percentage of the estate.

Probate ends when all of the property has been gathered, creditors have been paid and beneficiaries have received their distributions.

With a properly prepared estate plan, your property will be distributed according to your wishes, versus hoping the state’s laws will serve your family. You can also use the estate planning process to create the necessary documents to protect you during life, including a Power of Attorney, Advance Medical Directive and Healthcare proxy.

Reference: The News-Enterprise (Feb. 2, 2021) “Explaining the basic aspects probate”

What Is Status of Larry King’s Handwritten Will?

Estate Planning, Wills / Capacity, Inheritance, Probate Attorney, St. Petersburg Estate Planning Attorney, Will Contest

Larry King’s widow Shawn is set to go to court over a recently discovered hand-written will that cuts her out of a share of his fortune.

Fox News reports in the article entitled “Larry King’s widow Shawn King plans to contest star’s will in court” after King’s handwritten will was discovered. The will allegedly says that his $2 million estate would be divided among his five children.

The document is said to have been drafted on October 17, 2019—just two months after Larry filed for divorce from Shawn. The new will doesn’t mention her at all and also lists his now-deceased children Chaia and Andy as beneficiaries. This will was written a few months before the loss of 65-year-old Andy and 51-year-old Chaia, who died within weeks of each other.

Larry’s three remaining children — Larry King, Jr., 59, Cannon, 20, and Chance, 21 — were also named. Cannon and Chance are King’s children with Shawn. However, Shawn contends that there was already a plan in place between she and King that wasn’t reflected in the document.

“We had a very watertight family estate plan,” she told Page Six of a plan she and her husband drew up “as a couple” in 2015.

“It still exists, and it is the legitimate will. Period,” she remarked. “And I fully believe it will hold up, and my attorneys are going to be filing a response, probably by the end of the day.”

The handwritten will is complicated by the deaths of his children in 2020; in addition, Larry also told Page Six before his death that he and Shawn had once again become close. However, it is not known if the divorce was still moving forward.

Shawn also said that she and her husband spoke daily and claimed she was never made aware of an amendment to his will.

“It beats me!” she said when asked why she thinks Larry drafted the new document.

Their two sons were also “shocked” to hear about the change, she said, and claimed they “are not happy about this.”

Shawn also said she thinks someone exerted influence over the broadcast legend to have him write the new will, although offered no additional evidence of this contention.

“Based on the timeline, it just doesn’t make sense,” she said, noting that she doesn’t believe he would have cut her out due to the filing of divorce papers.

According to People magazine, Larry King allegedly wrote in the document, “This is my Last Will & Testament. It should replace all previous writings. In the event of my death, any day after the above date, I want 100% of my funds to be divided equally among my children Andy, Chaia, Larry Jr., Chance & Cannon.”

It looks like under the current will, Shawn would likely get around $300,000 after the $2 million estate was divided among King’s sons and presumably the survivors of his late children. However, she says it’s the principle.

Larry King’s attorney said that while the firm has no comment on Shawn’s position, they feel that “the will, which we will be asking the court to admit to probate on March 25th, reflects Larry’s intent to divide his estate equally among his children.”

Reference: Fox News (Feb. 15, 2021) “Larry King’s widow Shawn King plans to contest star’s will in court”

Does Living Trust Help with Probate and Inheritance Taxes?

Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Inheritance, Trusts, Wills / Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Inheritance, Inheritance Tax, St. Petersburg Estate Planning Attorney, Trusts, Wills

A living trust is a trust that’s created during a person’s lifetime, explains nj.com’s recent article entitled “Will a living trust help with probate and inheritance taxes?”

For example, New Jersey’s Uniform Trust Code governs the creation and validity of trusts. A real benefit of a trust is that its assets aren’t subject to the probate process. However, the New Jersey probate process is simple, so most people in the Garden State don’t have a need for a living trust.

In Kansas, a living trust can be created if the “settlor” or creator of the trust:

Resides in Kansas
The trustee lives or works in Kansas; or
The trust property is located in the state.

Under Florida law, a revocable living trust is governed by Florida Statute § 736.0402. To create a valid revocable trust in Florida, these elements are required:

The settlor must have capacity to create the trust
The settlor must indicate an intent to create a trust
The trust must have a definite beneficiary
The trustee must have duties to perform; and
The same person can’t be the sole trustee and sole beneficiary.

Experienced estate planning attorneys will tell you that no matter where you reside, the element that most estate planning attorneys concentrate on is the first—the capacity to create the trust. In most states, the capacity to create a revocable trust is the same capacity required to create a last will and testament.

Ask an experienced estate planning attorney about the mental capacity required to make a will in your state. Some state laws say that it’s a significantly lower threshold than the legal standards for other capacity requirements, like making a contract.

However, if a person lacks capacity when making a will, the validity of the will can be questioned and challenged in court. The person contesting the will has to prove that the mental capacity of the person making the will impacted the creation of the will.

Note that the assets in a trust may be subject to income tax and may be includable in the grantor’s estate for purposes of determining whether estate or inheritance taxes are owed. State laws differ on this. There are many different types of living trusts that have different tax consequences, so you should talk to an experienced estate planning attorney to see if a living trust is right for your specific situation.

Reference: nj.com (Jan. 11, 2021) “Will a living trust help with probate and inheritance taxes?”

When Did You Last Review Beneficiary Designation Forms?

Estate Planning, Financial Planning, IRA, Retirement Planning / Beneficiary Designations, Financial Planning, IRA, Retirement Planning, St. Petersburg Estate Planning Attorney

For many people, naming beneficiaries occurs when they first set up an account, and it’s rarely given much thought after that. The Street’s recent article entitled “Secure your IRA – Review Your Beneficiary Forms Now” says that many account holders aren’t aware of how important the beneficiary document is or what the consequences would be if the information is incorrect or is misplaced. Many people are also surprised to hear that wills don’t cover these accounts because they pass outside the will and are distributed pursuant to the beneficiary designation form.

If one of these accounts does not have a named beneficiary, it will likely be paid to your estate. If so, the IRS says that the account has to be fully distributed within five years if the account owner passes before their required beginning date (April 1 of the year after they turn age 72). This may create a massive tax bill for your heirs.

Get a copy of your current beneficiaries from every institution where you have your accounts, and don’t assume they have the correct information. Review the forms and make sure all beneficiaries are named and designated not just the primary beneficiary but secondary or contingent beneficiary. It is also important tomake certain that the form states clearly their percentage of the share and that it adds up to 100%. You should review these forms at any life change, like a marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child, or the death of a loved one.

Note that the SECURE Act changed the rules for anyone who dies after 2019. If you don’t heed these changes, it could result in 87% of your hard-earned money to go towards taxes. For retirement accounts that are inherited after December 31, 2019, there are new rules that necessitate review of beneficiary designations:

The SECURE Act created multiple “classes” of beneficiaries, and each has its own set of complex distribution rules. Make sure you understand the definition of each class of beneficiary and the effect the new rules will have on your family.
Some trusts that were named as beneficiaries of IRAs or retirement plans may no longer serve their original purpose. Ask an experienced estate planning attorney to review this.
The stretch IRA has been eliminated for most non-spouse beneficiaries. As such, most non-spouse beneficiaries will need to “empty” the IRA or retirement account within 10 years and they can’t “stretch” out their distributions over their lifetimes. Failure to comply is a 50% penalty of the amount not distributed and taxes due.

For many, beneficiary forms are their most important estate planning document but the most overlooked.

Reference: The Street (Dec. 28, 2020) “Secure your IRA – Review Your Beneficiary Forms Now”

Should Unmarried Couples have an Estate Plan?

Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Protecting Children, Wills / Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship, St. Petersburg Estate Planning Attorney, Tenants in Common, Unmarried, Will

For unmarried couples, having an estate plan might be even more important than for married couples, especially if there are children in the family. The unmarried couple does not enjoy all of the legal protection afforded by marriage, but many of these protections can be had through a well-prepared estate plan.

A recent article “Planning for unmarried couples” from nwi.com explains that in states that do not recognize common law marriages, like Florida, the state will not recognize the couple as being married. However, even if you learn that your state does recognize a common law marriage, you still want to have an estate plan.

A will is the starting point of an estate plan, and for an unmarried couple, having it professionally prepared by an experienced estate planning attorney is very important. An agreement between two people as to how they want their assets distributed after death sounds simple, but there are many laws. Each state has its own laws, and if the document is not prepared correctly, it could very easily be invalid. That would make the couple’s agreement useless.

There are also things that need to be prepared, so an unmarried couple can take care of each other while they are living, which they cannot legally do without being married.

A cohabitating couple has no right to direct medical care for each other, including speaking with the healthcare provider or even seeing their partner as a visitor in a healthcare facility. If a decision needs to be made by one partner because the other partner is incapacitated, their partner will not have the legal right to make any medical decisions or even speak with a healthcare provider.

If the couple owns vehicles separately, the vehicles have their own titles. If they want to add their partner’s name to the vehicle, the title needs to be reissued by the state to reflect that change.

If the couple owns a home together, they need to confirm how the home is titled. If they are joint tenants with rights of survivorship or tenants in common, that might be appropriate for their circumstances. However, if one person bought the home before they lived together or was solely responsible for paying the mortgage and for upkeep, they will need to make sure the title and their will establishes ownership and what the owner wants to happen with they die.

If the wish is for the surviving partner to remain in the home, that needs to be properly and legally documented. An estate planning attorney will help the couple create a plan that addresses this large asset and reflect the couple’s wishes for the future.

Unmarried cohabitating adults need to protect each other while they are living and after they pass. A local estate planning attorney will be able to help accomplish this.

Reference: nwi.com (Jan. 24, 2021) “Planning for unmarried couples”

Some States Have No Estate or Inheritance Taxes

Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Inheritance / Estate Planning Attorney, Federal Exemption, Inheritance Tax, St. Petersburg Estate Planning Attorney

The District of Columbia already moved to reduce its estate tax exemption from $5.67 million in 2020 to $4 million for individuals who die on or after Jan. 1, 2021. A resident with a taxable estate of $10 million living in the District of Columbia will owe nearly $1 million in state estate tax, says the article “State Death Tax Hikes Loom: Where Not To Die In 2021” from Forbes. It won’t be the last change in state death taxes.

Seventeen states and D.C. levy their own death taxes in addition to the federal estate tax, which as of this writing is so high that it effects very few Americans. Florida isn’t one of those states. In fact, Florida doesn’t have an estate tax or an inheritance tax, which is one of the many reasons it’s such a popular place for older Americans to live.

In 2021, the federal estate tax exemption is $11.7 million per person. But in 2026, it will drop back to $5 million per person, with adjustments for inflation. However, that is only if nothing changes.

President Biden has already called for the federal estate tax to return to the 2009 level of $3.5 million per person. The increased tax revenue purportedly would be used to pay for the costs of fighting the “pandemic” and “infrastructure improvements”. It remains to be seen whether this will actually happen because many law makers believe such a move would potentially destroy the family businesses, farms and ranches that drive and feed the economy. President Biden has also proposed eliminating the step up in basis on appreciated assets at death.

Changes that take place at the federal level are likely to drive changes at the state level. States that don’t have a death tax may look at adding one as a means of increasing revenue, meaning that estate planning may become even more important in the near future. States with high estate tax exemptions could also reduce their state exemptions to the federal exemption, adding to the state’s income and making things simpler. Right now, there is a disconnect between the federal and the state tax exemptions, which leads to considerable confusion.

Five states have already made changes in 2021, in a variety of forms. Vermont has increased the exemption to $5 million in 2021. Connecticut’s exemption will be increased $7.1 million. And the states of Maine, Rhode Island and New York have increased their exemptions because of inflation.

The overall trend in the recent past had been towards reducing or eliminating state estate taxes. In 2018, New Jersey dropped their estate tax, but kept the inheritance tax. In 2019, Maryland added a portability provision to its estate tax, so a surviving spouse may carry over the unused predeceased spouse’s exemption amount.

As mentioned above, Florida doesn’t have an estate tax or an inheritance tax, so your clients living (and dying) here in the Sun Shine State, and their families, won’t be subject to these taxes. However, if you live in or plan to move to a state where there are state death taxes, talk with an estate planner to create a flexible estate plan that will address the current and future changes in the federal or state exemptions. While you’re at it, keep an eye on the state’s legislature for what they’re planning.

Reference: Forbes (Jan. 15, 2021) “State Death Tax Hikes Loom: Where Not To Die In 2021”

Am I Named in a Will? How Would I Know?

Estate Planning, Probate / Estate Planning Lawyer, Inheritance, Intestacy, Probate Attorney, Probate Court, St. Petersburg Estate Planning Attorney, Will Contest

Imagine a scenario where three brothers’ biological father passed away a decade ago. The father wasn’t married to their mother, and, he had another family with three children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. The father never publicly acknowledged that the three boys were his children. They’ve now heard rumors that he left them something in his will—which may or may not exist. The father’s wife has also passed away.

Nj.com’s recent article entitled “How can we find out if our father left us something in his will?” explains that a parent isn’t required to leave his or her adult children an inheritance.

If a person doesn’t leave a will when they die, the intestacy laws of the state in which he or she dies will dictate how the decedent’s property is divided.

For example, if you die without a will in Kansas, your assets will go to your closest relatives. If there were children but no spouse, the children inherit everything. If there is a spouse and children, the spouse inherits one-half of your intestate property, and your children inherit the other one-half of your property.

In Illinois, if you’re married and you pass away without a will, the portion given to your spouse is based upon whether you have living descendants, such as children and grandchildren.

In New Jersey, if the decedent is survived by a spouse and children—this includes any children who are not children of the surviving spouse—the surviving spouse gets the first 25% of the intestate estate, but not less than $50,000 nor more than $200,000, plus one-half of the balance of the intestate estate. In that state, the descendants of the decedent would receive the remainder.

Note that an intestate estate doesn’t include property that’s in the joint name of the decedent and another person with rights of survivorship or payable upon death to another beneficiary. In our problem above, the issue would be whether the three boys would’ve been entitled to a percentage of the property permitted under the state intestacy statute, or under a will if you could prove there was one.

However, the time for the three boys to make a claim against their father’s estate would have been at his death. A 10-year delay is a problem. It may prevent a recovery because there are time limitations for bringing legal actions. However, they may have other claims, and there may be reasons you are not too late.

Litigation is very fact-specific, and the rules are state-specific. The boys should talk to an estate litigation attorney, if they think there are enough assets to make at it worth their while.

Reference: nj.com (Dec. 29, 2020) “How can we find out if our father left us something in his will?”

Who Can Witness a Will?

Estate Planning, Executor, Probate, Wills / Capacity, Estate Planning Lawyer, Executor, Probate Attorney, Probate Court, St. Petersburg Estate Planning Attorney, Wills

For a will to be binding, there are a number of requirements that must be met, including having a qualified person witness the will. While state laws on wills vary, most require you to be of legal adult age to make a will and have testamentary capacity (i.e., that you be “of sound mind”).

Yahoo Finance’s recent article entitled “Who Can and Cannot Witness a Will?” explains that you usually must have your will witnessed.

Witnesses to your will are significant in the event that someone disputes its validity later or if there is a will contest. If one of your heirs challenges the terms of your will, a witness may be asked by the probate court to attest that they watched you sign the will and that you appeared to be of sound mind when you did so. Witnesses provide you with another layer of validity to a will, and it makes it more difficult for someone to dispute its legality.

When drafting a will, it’s important to understand several requirements, including who can witness a will. Generally, but depending on applicable state law, anyone can witness a will, as long as they meet two requirements: (i) they are of legal adult age; and (ii) they have the mental capacity to sign the will. Therefore, the types of people who could act on your behalf include your friends, a neighbor, co-workers and any of your relatives. Some states also require that witnesses are not receiving anything in the will.

If you’ve hired an experienced estate planning attorney to help you draft your will, he or she can also act as a witness, provided they’re not named as a beneficiary.

Witnesses don’t need to review the entire will document in order to sign it. They only need to be able to verify that the document exists, that you have signed it in their presence and that they have signed it in front of you.

When you sign the will, get both witnesses together at the same time. You’ll need to sign, initial and date the will in ink, then have your witnesses do the same. Some states require you to attach a self-proving affidavit or have the will notarized.

Reference: Yahoo Finance (Dec. 28, 2020) “Who Can and Cannot Witness a Will?”

Do We Need Estate Planning?

Estate Planning, Health Care, Power of Attorney, Probate, Protecting Children / Beneficiary Designation, Durable Power of Attorney, Estate Planning Attorney, Healthcare Proxy, minor children, Probate, St. Petersburg Estate Planning Attorney, Trusts, Will

Estate planning is not just about making a will, nor is it just for people who live in mansions. Estate planning is best described in the title of this article “Estate planning is an important strategy for arranging financial affairs and protecting heirs—here are five reasons why everyone needs an estate plan” from Business Insider. Estate planning is a plan for the future, for you, your spouse and those you love.

There are a number of reasons for estate planning:

Avoiding paying more federal and state taxes than necessary
Ensuring that assets are distributed as you want
Naming the people you choose for your own care, if you become incapacitated; and/or
Naming the people you choose to care for your minor children, if something should happen to you and your spouse.

If that sounds like a lot to accomplish, you’re right. However, with the help of a trusted estate planning attorney, an estate plan can provide you with the peace of mind that comes with having all of the above.

If those decisions and designations are not made by you while you are alive and legally competent, the state law and the courts will determine who will get your assets, raise your children and how much your estate will pay in death taxes to the government. You can avoid that with an estate plan.

Here are the five key things about estate planning:

It’s more than a will. The estate plan includes creating Durable Powers of Attorney to appoint individuals who will make medical and/or financial decisions, if you are not able to do so. The estate plan also contains Medical Directives to communicate your wishes about what kind of care you do or do not want, if you are so sick you cannot do so for yourself. The estate plan is where you can create Trusts to control how property passes from one person or one generation to the next.

Estate planning saves time, money, and angst. If you have a surviving spouse, they are usually the ones who serve as your executor. However, if you do not and if you do not have an estate plan, the court names a public administrator to distribute assets according to state law. While this is happening, no one can access your assets. There’s a lot of paperwork and a lot of legal fees. With a will, you name an executor who will take care of and gain access to most, if not all, of your assets and administer them according to your instructions.

Estate planning includes being sure that investment and retirement accounts with a beneficiary designation have been completed. If you don’t name a beneficiary, the asset goes through the probate court. If you fail to update your beneficiary designations, your ex or a person from your past may end up with your biggest assets.

Estate planning is also tax planning. While federal taxes only impact the very wealthy right now, that is likely to change in the future. States also have estate taxes and inheritance taxes of their own, at considerably lower exemption levels than federal taxes. If you wish your heirs to receive more of your money than the government, tax planning should be part of your estate plan.

The estate plan is also used to protect minor children. No one expects to die prematurely, and no one expects that two spouses with young children will die. However, it does happen, and if there is no will in place, then the court makes all the decisions: who will raise your children, and where, how their upbringing will be financed, or, if there are no available family members, if the children should become wards of the state and enter the foster care system. That’s probably not what you want.

The estate plan includes the identification of the person(s) you want to raise your children, and who will be in charge of the assets left in trust for the children, like proceeds from a life insurance policy. This can be the same person, but often the financial and child-rearing roles are divided between two trustworthy people. Naming an alternate for each position is also a good idea, just in case the primary people cannot serve.

Estate planning, finally, also takes care of you while you are living, with a power of attorney and healthcare proxy. That way someone you know, and trust can step in, if you are unable to take care of your legal and financial affairs.

Once your estate plan is in place, remember that it is like your home: it needs to be updated every three or four years, or when there are big changes to tax law or in your life.

Reference: Business Insider (Jan. 14, 2021) “Estate planning is an important strategy for arranging financial affairs and protecting heirs—here are five reasons why everyone needs an estate plan”

Do I Assume My Parents’ Timeshare when They Die?

Estate Planning, Inheritance, Probate / Estate Planning Lawyer, Inheritance, Probate Attorney, St. Petersburg Estate Planning Attorney, Timeshare, Wills

Ridding yourself of a timeshare can be difficult. Frequently, heirs of a timeshare owner don’t want to take on the liability and the responsibility.

Nj.com’s recent article entitled “Can I leave a timeshare to the timeshare company in my will?” explains that as a general rule, unless it’s in an attempt to defraud creditors, a beneficiary may always renounce or disclaim a bequest made to him or her in a will.

However, if you write a provision in your will, it doesn’t mean that it’s legal, needs to be followed, or can be carried out.

As an example, a beneficiary designation on a bank account or certificate of deposit (CD) to your brother Dirk would take precedence over a specific bequest in your will that the same account or CD goes to your brother Chris. In that instant, the bank will pay the bank account or CD to your brother Dirk—no matter what your will says.

Likewise, with shares in a closely held business. If there is a contract between the shareholders dictating what happens to shares of the business if someone dies, that agreement will also override a provision in your will.

A timeshare is a contract. That means the terms of that contract control what happens. Your will doesn’t.

If the will doesn’t contradict the contract, like bequeathing the timeshare to a third-party who will continue to pay the contract obligations, both documents can co-exist.

A timeshare owner can’t avoid contractual obligations by just giving back the unit back to the corporation, unless that’s permitted in the contract.

The timeshare corporation isn’t required to take back a timeshare unit whether it is returned by the terms of the will or by the executor in administrating the estate, unless the signed timeshare agreement provides for this, or terms of the return are negotiated.

Reference: nj.com (Dec. 24, 2020) “Can I leave a timeshare to the timeshare company in my will?”