The Role of Estate Attorneys in Property Management

You need to protect your estates during your lifetime and after your death. These include earthly possessions and assets that you may have accrued over time. However, you will need the services of an estate lawyer to do keep your things in order.

Most people lock their families in endless legal disputes after their death because they never anticipate that something bad cannot happen to them. This article offers a solution that you may find worthy.

Here are some of the areas that estate attorneys specialize in:

Wills & Trusts

A will, also known as a testament, serves several functions. One can use it to appoint a guardian to take care of minor children, divide property to people, name a personal representative and manage the property left to minor children.

Dying without a will in Florida sentences your property to intestacy laws, which may not align with what you want. Your property may go to the state if the court finds out that you have no living relatives related to you by blood or marriage.

Estate attorneys will draft for you the will and keep a copy of your family loses or fails to locate the original one. Other areas include estate tax complications and trust agreements, which are entered to hold a given property on behalf of the beneficiary.

Power of Attorney

A power of attorney delegates authority from a person to the next. The maker of power allows another individual to act on his or her behalf. It must be signed by the principal and other two witnesses to be valid.

You need an estate attorney to guide you on the specifics of drafting a power of attorney, or it will never be valid in Florida. He/ she will explain the different types of attorney powers, which are limited, general and durable.

Guardianship

You need an estate attorney to deal with an incapacitated family member effectively. Some of the areas involved are taking care of minor children and the elderly. Florida laws allow any adult to file a petition with the court to determine another person's incapacity.

Dealing with guardianship issues requires the filing of a petition, after which a court appoints a committee to evaluate the incapacitated person’s viability. The court will also appoint an attorney expected to represent the alleged person.

A good estate attorney will even help you take action on behalf of your parents if you ever find yourself in such a situation.

Estate planning is often a challenging area of law. However, attorneys that handle the subject are taught to work closely with clients and offer them several strategies that can work for them. They will help you maximize your assets' value, minimize taxes and help avoid high court costs.

The right firm will link you with a competent estate planning lawyer in Florida who will help you draft the required documents and transfer your assets to all your intended beneficiaries. He/ she should understand that the client comes first.