Author Archives: Larry Bray
Understanding the Florida Probate Process
Probate can seem like a complex and never-ending process. However, it’s actually quite simple. Probate is the process by which a decedent’s assets are passed to their beneficiaries. Broken down further, probate is the process by which a deceased person’s assets are collected, used to pay off any debts, and are then dispersed to… Read More »
How Hiring a Lawyer Can Help You Lower Your Estate Taxes
Unlike many states, Florida does not have an estate tax or an income tax, both of which make it an incredibly popular place to take up residence, particularly by the ultra wealthy. However, while Florida does not have an estate tax, there is a federal estate tax that currently applies to estates valued at… Read More »
Is Short-Selling Your Florida Home the Best Option?
You may not be familiar with the term “short selling.” However, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect employment and housing nationwide, more and more American homeowners are finding themselves contemplating bankruptcy and other solutions, such as short selling, in order to cope with the massive financial struggles they are facing. What is a… Read More »
How a Spendthrift Provision Can Help Protect Your Assets
The primary function of estate planning is protecting your assets, and one tool for achieving that end under Florida law is a spendthrift provision (also known as a “restraint on alienation provision”). A spendthrift provision can apply to revocable and irrevocable trusts, and it essentially serves as a limitation on how the trust money… Read More »
Appointing a Florida Personal Representative
Under Florida law, a personal representative is responsible for administering someone’s estate after they pass away. Personal representatives have a fiduciary duty to act in good faith, in the best interest of the decedent’s beneficiaries. Personal representatives also have a responsibility to be honest, and follow the terms of the decedent’s will, if they… Read More »
Estate Planning During Covid-19
There’s nothing like a pandemic to make you face your own mortality. While ordinarily, having a valid will already puts you ahead of the game, a pandemic can raise other issues that a will won’t cover. For instance, if an individual becomes incapacitated due to illness, although the individual is unable to make any… Read More »
West Palm Beach Estate Planning for New Parents
Being a new parent comes with a long list of new challenges and things to do. With all the sleepless nights, estate planning may not even be on your radar yet. That’s why talking with an experienced West Palm Beach estate planning attorney can help. There are many aspects of estate planning that become… Read More »
Overview of Probate in West Palm Beach, Florida
When a loved one dies, their estate will likely need to go through Florida probate. Probate is a court-supervised process that allows for proper identification and gathering of the deceased’s assets, paying off debts, and finally distributing remaining assets to beneficiaries and entitled heirs. Probate can be a tricky process, which is why you… Read More »
Buying or Selling Real Estate in West Palm Beach? Hire a Lawyer.
With over $1.2 billion in single-family home sales each year, West Palm Beach is undeniably a hot spot for buying and selling real estate. People come from all over the world to purchase property here, but even local buyers may be surprised by how much they don’t know when it comes to transactional real… Read More »
5 Fast Facts About Florida Probate
So what exactly is probate? It’s a term describing the processing and distributing of someone’s assets after they’ve passed away. This process is generally supervised by a circuit court judge, and involves identifying all of the decedent’s assets, using them to pay probate fees, funeral expenses, and debts, and distributing the remainder to the… Read More »
