Considering how important the finished product is to you and your loved ones, a considerable amount of thought and planning should go into the creation of your comprehensive estate plan. It only makes sense to put the same amount of thought and consideration into choosing an estate planning attorney to help you create your plan. At Kulas & Crawford, we understand the importance in choosing an estate planning attorney, and we would be honored to be chosen to help you with your Jensen Beach, Florida estate planning needs both now and in the future.
The History of Jensen Beach, Florida
Although the oldest city in the United States (St. Augustine) can be found in the State of Florida, much of the state was not inhabited by anyone except native peoples until around the turn of the 20th century. Jensen Beach is no exception. The area that is now known as Jensen Beach was originally settled in 1881 by Laurence Jensen, an immigrant from Denmark, who was looking for somewhere to set up his pineapple plantation.
It wasn’t until the following decade, however, that the area began to grow because of the Florida East Coast Railway reaching what we now know as Jensen Beach. Not only did the railway bring Jensen the ability to ship larger freight, but it also brought visitors and settlers to the area. By 1895, Jensen was called the “Pineapple Capital of the World,” shipping over one million boxes of pineapples each year during the June and July season. To help handle the increased pineapple production, a pineapple factory was built.
Sadly, the new town of Jensen Beach faced several difficult years shortly thereafter. A hard freeze in 1895 devastated most of the small pineapple plantations. A decade later, Mother Nature once again threatened the small beach community. Wildfires in both 1908 and 1910 destroyed most of Jensen Beach and its remaining pineapple farms. The pineapple industry finally collapsed entirely in 1920 due to a wide variety of financial and agriculture problems. Pineapple growers, however, focused their efforts on another potential crop – citrus. Although the State of Florida has become known as a citrus growing state, the pineapple remains a symbol of Jensen Beach.
Jensen Beach, Florida Today
Located along the east coast of Florida in Martin County, Jensen Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) that covers just over eight square miles. As of the 2010 Census, Jensen Beach had a year around population of 11,700 residents. Jensen Beach is part of the Port St. Lucie, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area though. The Port St. Lucie, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, in turn, is part of what is referred to as the “Treasure Coast” of Florida. The Treasure Coast includes the counties of Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin and has a population of almost 600,000 year-round residents. Jensen Beach’s location in southern Florida along the coast also means that the small beach town swells during the winter months when “snowbirds” from the north flock to Florida to escape the cold, snowy winters.
The “Treasure Coast” was named for the ships that wrecked during the 17th century among the coral reefs found in the shallow water along the coastline. Artifacts and treasures from Spanish ships that wrecked in the area can still be discovered today. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the Jensen Sea Turtle Beach, a public beach located on Hutchinson Island. The beach derives its name from the fact that it is a popular place for sea turtles to lay their nests. Everyone who uses the beach must respect the cordoned off areas of the beach where nests have been spotted during nesting season. The fruit legacy has not been forgotten in Jensen Beach and is celebrated annually during the Jensen Beach Pineapple Festival. Visitors may also wish to plan their visit during the month of January for the Stuart Boat Show and the Jensen Beach Arts and Crafts Show. Any month of the year, however, offers beautiful weather and miles of Florida coastline to enjoy.
Kulas & Crawford in the Jensen Beach, Community
Creating a comprehensive estate plan is among the most important endeavors you will undertake during your lifetime. At Kulas & Crawford we understand the importance of your estate plan to you and to your family which is why our goal is always to create lasting relationships with each of our Jensen Beach, Florida clients. That relationship helps ensure that we can meet your estate planning needs, goals, and wishes both now and in the future.
Estate planning, by its very nature, is a highly personal undertaking. Often, the need to discuss your financial affairs and family dynamics with a stranger is not easy. By nurturing a lifelong partnership with our clients, we hope to make it easier to discuss even the most sensitive topics with us. Moreover, for your estate plan to be successful, it needs to be an ongoing venture that is continuously reviewed and updated to reflect changes that occur in your life. Your initial estate plan may focus entirely on creating a plan for the distribution of your estate assets to avoid allowing the Florida estate succession laws to dictate what happens to your estate assets. When you have a spouse and/or minor children to protect and provide for, you may wish to incorporate additional estate planning components into your plan, such as incapacity planning and/or probate avoidance strategies to ensure the assets you leave behind are immediately available to your loved ones. As your assets grow, you may need to consider asset protection strategies. Looking to your “Golden Years” should also prompt the addition of Medicaid and retirement planning strategies as well as funeral planning and advanced directives into your overall estate plan. At Kulas & Crawford we can be there with you throughout the various phases of your life to help ensure that your estate plan protects you, your assets, and your loved ones both now and in the future.
Contact Us
For more information, or to get started on your plan, contact the experienced Florida estate planning attorneys at Kulas & Crawford by calling (772) 398-0720 to schedule an appointment.
