Fort Lauderdale Estate Planning Attorney

Protecting your family should not break the bank. At Ronald Cutler, P.A., we provided customized estate planning solutions that are affordable to everyday people in Fort Lauderdale. Whether you need to update an estate plan or create one from scratch, our seasoned attorneys will roll up our sleeves and help. Give us a call. We are an established firm. A Fort Lauderdale estate planning attorney can meet for a consultation.

Key Pieces in an Estate Plan

Our estate planning attorneys are eager to meet to discuss your goals. Most people create an estate plan to:

• Leave assets to loved ones after death. You can use a will or trust for this task. You can divide your estate between two or more people, leave everything to a spouse, or make specific bequests. We might also leave assets outside probate, including lifetime gifts or creating joint ownership with the right of survivorship.
• Provide immediate money to your family. Probating a will can take a year or longer. You can buy a life insurance policy to provide immediate cash to loved ones or put assets in a trust.
• Name someone to act as guardian. Do you have minor children? You can name guardians in your will.
• Nominate someone to serve as your personal representative. This person has critical duties after death. They are the estate’s representative in court and might be tasked with defending your will or fighting off creditor claims. You want to choose someone who is careful and responsible. We can help you choose someone who is up to the job.

Our clients also should think about what happens when they grow old and possibly suffer from dementia or a lack of capacity. You can create important estate planning documents:

• Durable power of attorney. Use this document to name an agent to handle financial and other affairs. For example, your agent can cash your Social Security checks, pay bills, and maybe cash out investments.
• Healthcare surrogate. This person will make decisions for medical care when you cannot speak for yourself
• Living will. You can spell out in detail what end-of-life care you want, along with what you don’t want.

These documents provide peace of mind. You’ll know that your wishes will be respected. You’re never too young to create advance directives like those listed above. Imagine you are involved in a tragic car accident which renders you comatose. Your living will could come into play, even if you are in your 30s or 40s.

Contact Our Fort Lauderdale Estate Planning Attorneys Today!

We have extensive experience with creating estate plans or revising a plan you created years ago in a different state. For example, you might have gotten divorced recently, so you should update all your estate planning documents to name someone new as your personal representative. We can also review an estate plan created outside of Florida if you are a recent arrival.

Call Ronald Cutler, P.A. A Fort Lauderdale estate planning attorney is available to talk to you about your goals and address any concerns.