August is Make-A-Will Month
August is National Make-A-Will Month
It’s that time of year again. August is National Make-A-Will Month, and it is not too late to jump on the wagon. Why do you need a Will you may ask? The reason is simple. With a Will, you decide who gets the assets you own at your death. Without a Will, Florida law determines who gets your assets.
At times, that may be okay; Florida law may direct that your assets go to the same people that you would have wanted the assets to go to if you had made a Will. However, that is not always the case.
For example, what if you haven’t spoken to one of your children in 20 years, while another of your children has spent the last 5 years taking care of you? Under Florida law, if you don’t have a Will (and in this case, we are assuming you have no spouse either), the court will direct that your assets be distributed equally among your children. That means that the child that you haven’t spoken to in 20 years will get just as much as the child who has spent the last 5 years taking care of you. Is that what you want to happen? If not, you need a Will.
As a side note, a Will does not avoid probate. Your beneficiaries will still have to go through the probate process to get your assets transferred, but your assets will go to the person that you wanted to have those assets. There are many ways to avoid probate that a good estate planning attorney can help you with.
If someone you know could benefit from getting a Will and the other needed estate planning documents, please share this article with them. If you are ready to get a Will and the other estate planning documents that everyone needs, talk to your favorite estate planning attorney who will advise you on the best way to prepare you and your loved ones for the future.
Lorien Smith Johnson
Estate Planning and Probate Attorney
Lorien S. Johnson, PLLC
1520 W. Cleveland Street
Tampa, FL 33606
813-758-3492
Disclaimer: This article contains general information directed to Florida residents. This firm does not intend to give legal advice through this article. If you need legal advice, we encourage you to find an estate planning attorney licensed in your state. Additionally, this article does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and this firm.