Kulas & Crawford is proud to serve the Fort Pierce area in Florida, providing estate planning and elder law services for the city’s residents. We’re committed to helping our clients in the area develop the strategies they need to create sound plans that effectively manage estate and end-of-life issues. Our team can help you to not only protect assets, but grow them over time – while securing important protections against unforeseen events through sound incapacity planning efforts. Fort Pierce residents who need assistance with financial security and legacy planning understand that our team is always there for all their estate planning needs.
Providing the Best Legal Representation in Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce Florida is often called the Sunrise City, and serves as the county seat for St. Lucie County. As of 2014, the city’s population is 43,601, which represents a 16% increase from the population recorded during the 2010 census. Fort Pierce lies along the Treasure Coast, and is among the oldest established communities on Florida’s east coast.
The city is an award-winning community with a diverse culture that has achieved an ideal blend of old Floridian laid-back charm and the new energy brought by modern development. In 205, Fort Pierce earned the City of Excellence Award from the state’s League of Cities, in recognition of its government efficiency. USA Today named the city among those with the Most Idyllic and Historic Main Streets in America as recently as 2015, after having won recognition as the Best Main Street back in 2011.
The city has a median household income of $25,861 as of 2013, which is more than $20,000 below the statewide number. Construction, food preparation and service jobs, and sales and office support are among the most common occupations for residents in the area. The jobs picture is diverse, however, as those industries together account for only about half of all jobs in the city. As with most areas of Florida, estate planning can help residents achieve greater financial stability and long-term security. Robert Kulas Attorneys at Law can help the area’s resident better protect assets and expand wealth.
Seniors in Fort Pierce
Throughout Fort Pierce, Florida, the median age of the population was 35.8 years old in 2014. That’s lower than the statewide median, which stands at 41.5 years of age. The largest age group in the city consists of those younger than the age of 18, who account for 25.9% of the population. 6.8% of the city’s 43,000 people are aged 65 or older. Among all households in the area, 11.7% involve seniors who live by themselves.
That statistic demonstrates that a great number of Fort Pierce seniors do tend to remain in their homes as they get older. Many receive in-hone care. Others eventually choose to live with relatives or move into nursing homes when they can no longer manage their own care. A list of nursing homes in the area can be found on Caring.com.
Selecting a nursing home can be one of the most important decisions that any senior and her family can make. Regardless of whether an older person needs in-home care or long-term residential living, the various options should all be thoroughly researched prior to making a final determination. Robert Kulas Attorneys at Law can help seniors and their loved ones evaluate care options, and develop strategies that can help to ensure that care is fully funded as well with Medicaid planning, VA benefits, and more.
Fort Pierce Housing and Labor Outlook
People who are considering moving to the Fort Pierce area can benefit from understanding the area’s housing demographics and other important features of city life. Fortunately, that data is collected and compiled on a regular basis to provide the most current snapshot of Fort Pierce life as possible.
The estimated median home value for houses and condos in Fort Pierce is $85,811, according to data provided for 2013. That represents a significant increase from the last census data in 2000 – when that median value stood at roughly $57,000. It is also significantly lower than the Florida median of $153,300. Median rent for renters in the area is $778 per month.
For businesses looking at moving into the area, the labor picture is optimistic. More than 73% of all residents have a high school education or better, while nearly 14% have earned at least a Bachelor’s degree. Almost 5% have a graduate degree or some type of professional degree. Meanwhile, unemployment in the area was slightly above 14% in 2014.
Fort Pierce Courts You Need to Know About
Fort Pierce’s status as the St. Lucie County seat means that probate is conducted in the town’s courthouse located at 201 South Indian River Dr., 3rd Floor, Fort Pierce, FL 34950. Courthouse business hours are between 8AM and 5PM, Monday – Friday, excluding all state holidays. If you have business with the probate and guardianship court, you can call (772) 462-6920.
Probate court is important for the settlement of estates, and for providing guardians for minors and adults who can no longer manage their own affairs. The Fort Pierce probate court can answer many of the most common questions you might have about the probate process, and can direct you to important forms and filings that you may need to know about if you are named as a will’s executor or otherwise have important business with the court. At Robert Kulas Attorneys at Law, we can assist you with important estate planning needs that may help your estate avoid probate, incapacity planning to negate the need for a guardian, and probate administration questions that you may have while serving as someone else’s executor.
Fort Pierce Residents: Get the Estate Planning and Elder Law Help You Need
At Kulas & Crawford, we remain committed to helping all of our clients receive the best legal assistance possible. We will work with you closely to secure your assets, create business, financial, estate planning, and Medicaid planning strategies that will help to protect your interests and secure a lasting legacy. To discover more about our community and how we can help you with your most pressing estate planning and elder law needs, contact us online or call us at (772) 398-0720 now.
