Tax avoidance should be one of the most important components of an estate plan for anyone with a moderate to large estate given that all estates are subject to federal gift and estate taxation upon the death of the taxpayer. Your estate will go through the legal process known as probate shortly after your death. During the probate process, your estate assets will be inventoried and valued. If the … [Read more...] about Is a Grantor Retained Income Trust Right for You?

One of your primary estate planning goals will probably be to ensure that you leave behind sufficient assets and that your loved ones are well cared for when you are gone. You may also wish, however, to have some continued influence over your loved ones, even in your absence. The Vero Beach trust attorneys at Kulas & Crawford explain how a trust can help you maintain control over the assets … [Read more...] about How to Maintain Control Over Trust Assets

If you are a beneficiary of a trust, it means that you have an interest in the assets held by the trust. It also means that the Trustee is required to communicate with you about trust business from time to time. As part of that obligation, the Trustee may send you a “Crummey Notice.” The Port St. Lucie trust lawyers at Kulas & Crawford explain what a Crummey Notice is and what you should do if you … [Read more...] about What Should I Do If I Receive a Crummey Notice?

Surprises following the death of a loved one are not typically welcome – particularly if the surprise relates to the decedent’s Last Will and Testament. For example, if the decedent attempted to make a deathbed Will just prior to his/her death, is that Will legal? A Port St. Lucie probate attorney at Kulas & Crawford discusses whether a deathbed Will is valid in Florida. Is a Deathbed Will … [Read more...] about Is a Deathbed Will Valid in Florida?

When you initially sit down to create an estate plan, a Last Will and Testament may be all you need to ensure that you don’t leave behind an intestate estate in the event of your death. A Will can distribute your entire estate; however, as your estate and your family both expand, you may find that a Will is no longer sufficient to meet all your estate planning needs. At that point, you may decide … [Read more...] about What Is a Family Wealth Trust?

Creating a successful, and comprehensive, estate plan requires you to do more than simply focus on to whom you wish to gift your estate assets. You will also need to consider how and when those assets are distributed. For many people, avoiding probate is also an important estate planning goal. If you hope to steer clear of probate, the living trust attorneys explain how a trust can help your … [Read more...] about Vero Beach Living Trust Attorneys Steer Clear of Probate

Most people execute a Last Will and Testament as their first estate planning document. A simple Will is fine for a very basic estate plan; however, as your estate and your family grow, you will likely need to grow your estate plan as well. In fact, you may decide that a trust works better than a Will as your primary tool for distributing your estate assets. The trust lawyers at Kulas & Crawford … [Read more...] about Trust Lawyers Explain Why a Trust May Be Better Than a Will

Although you will likely execute a Last Will and Testament when you initially create an estate plan, you will likely incorporate additional estate planning tools and strategies into that plan as both your assets and your family grow. One of the most common additions to a comprehensive estate plan is a trust. The trust attorneys at Kulas & Crawford discuss how a trust might fit into your estate … [Read more...] about Trust Attorneys Talk about How a Trust Might Fit into Your Estate Plan

For most people, a Last Will and Testament serves as the foundation for their initial estate plan. If you are just now getting around to creating and executing your first Will, you undoubtedly have a number of important decisions to make during the creation of that Will. Naturally, you will be focusing on the distribution of your estate assets and other provisions of your Will; however, there is … [Read more...] about Port St. Lucie Estate Planning Attorneys Explain the Importance of Choosing the Right Executor

In today’s electronic age your computer or smartphone can be used to accomplish a wide range of tasks. While technological advances are exciting and often make our lives much easier, it is important to also be aware of the possible downside to those advances as well. Such was the case recently with electronic Will legislation proposed in the State of Florida that would have allowed Last Wills and … [Read more...] about Florida Governor Vetoed Electronic Will Legislation