Santa Rosa County Estate Planning

Estate Planning Attorney in Santa Rosa County, FL

Everyone, regardless of financial status or age, can benefit from having an estate plan. No matter how large or modestly sized the estate, it’s important to provide instructions to ensure your wishes are carried out.

Florida has various estate planning tools available that can help protect your property, minimize taxes, and ensure a good future for yourself and your loved ones. By determining how you want to handle your estate before you pass, you’ll save a lot of effort, money, and grief when it comes to dividing your estate.

Our credible Florida estate planning attorneys at Brightwell Law PLLC can help you create an estate plan customized to your needs, financial affairs, and family situation. Contact our Santa Rosa County estate planning law firm today and schedule an initial consultation.

Why Do I Need an Estate Planning Lawyer in Florida?

Death is something none of us ever want to think about, but like many things in life, it is necessary. We can’t predict how long we will live or if we’ll get an illness or have an accident, an estate plan will help protect the best interests of your family.

Estate planning is a dynamic, constantly changing legal discipline that requires focused and specialized expertise. Creating a good estate plan is a complex and tedious process so it would be best to have a skilled Santa Rosa estate planning attorney on your side.

  • At Brightwell Law PLLC, our goal is to ensure that your estate planning needs are handled in a timely and cost-effective manner.
  • Whether your needs range from simple to complex, our Santa Rosa County estate planning law firm has the knowledge and skills to provide you with legal advice with whatever estate planning and probate needs arise.
  • We provide expert guidance regarding wills, trusts, probate, wealth preservation, tax planning, guardianships, trust administration, litigation, and other estate administration issues.
  • Our legal team can help you through the process of deciding how to divide your assets and advise you on the documents you need to make sure your wishes will be fulfilled.
  • We develop estate plans to safeguard and pass on your assets while reducing the risk of future litigation.
  • We have extensive experience in assisting clients in Santa Rosa County, Escambia, Pensacola, and its surrounding areas.

By addressing your end-of-life plans today, you can set your loved ones up for a more comfortable tomorrow. Contact our estate planning law firm and schedule an initial consultation with us today.

What is Estate Planning?

Estate planning enables you to indicate how you want your estate to be managed, transferred, and distributed in the event of incapacitation or death. Your estate is made up of all the property you own, including:

  • Houses
  • Jewelry
  • Cash
  • Clothes
  • Cars
  • Investments
  • Real estate property
  • Savings and retirement accounts

A well-prepared estate plan will help ensure your wishes are carried out and your loved ones are financially supported. This legal plan will list who you want to receive your assets, what they will receive, and when they will receive them.

Estate planning is an often overlooked aspect of financial planning, though if done properly, it can have a lasting impact on your family’s future. Good estate planning can reduce family strife and provide clear end-of-life directives. A reliable Santa Rosa estate planning attorney can help you decide on a plan that fits your unique situation.

What Are the Estate Planning Documents You Need in Florida?

Estate planning goes beyond just writing and executing your last will and testament. It is prudent to cover all your bases and try to plan for as many situations as possible. To ensure that all of your last wishes are carried out, you will need several estate planning documents. A knowledgeable Santa Rosa FL estate planning attorney will ensure that your affairs are in order and that all of your documents are valid and enforceable.

The following documents are generally considered essential to an estate plan:

Last Will and Testament

An estate plan typically begins with a will. The last will and testament cover the disposition of your assets after your death. It’s a court document that names your executor and stipulates the distribution of your property. It allows you to hand down all your assets to your chosen beneficiaries and heirs and assign guardians for your minor children.

A will maximizes the chances that your wishes will be carried out. If you die without a will, your estate will be managed and distributed according to Florida’s intestacy laws.

Living Trust

A trust is an estate planning tool that allows a third party (the trust) to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary. Numerous types of trusts exist under Florida law. Trusts can either be revocable or irrevocable.

Most trusts are revocable. It means they can be modified at any time during the life of the person establishing the revocable living trust if they have the mental capacity to make changes. Trusts may also be used to avoid probate, which can be a costly and time-consuming process.

Power of Attorney

The Power of Attorney (POA) delegates authority from one individual to another. With a valid power of attorney, a person you trust will be permitted to handle a certain legal matter on your behalf. The type of POA you create dictates which affairs you are granting power over.

The decision-making power of an attorney-in-fact takes effect at different times depending on which POA you choose. Here are some of the common types of POA:

  • General power of attorney – gives the agent broad powers for financial decisions
  • Durable power of attorney – this POA is not terminated by the principal’s incapacity
  • Limited power of attorney – limited authority to certain types of transactions
  • Springing power of attorney – doesn’t become effective until incapacity

Advanced Healthcare Directive

An advanced healthcare directive allows someone to make medical decisions for you if you are incapacitated. With an advanced directive, you can provide written instructions for your future medical care, including life-sustaining treatment if you are terminally ill. Although these are difficult decisions to make, an advanced directive can help prevent future disputes and ensure that your healthcare wishes are carried out.

Appointment of Guardianship

Appointment of guardianship protects the interests of a child by appointing a capable hand to make decisions on their behalf. There is also adult guardianship for a family member who requires special care, such as an incapacitated or elderly loved one. If you do not appoint a guardian in your estate plan, the state could make this decision for you.

Santa Rosa County, Florida

Santa Rosa County offers a Florida beach vacation interwoven with a rich, untouched history. Tucked away off Northwest Florida’s beaten path is a pristine vacation destination for travelers seeking adventure, serenity, and unsurpassed natural beauty. You will fall in love with the quiet and close community feel the county offers you and your family.

Santa Rosa is a thriving county, full of life and diversity. Besides picturesque beaches, the county is brimming with historical sights and locations, quality schools, recreational opportunities, and a less expensive cost of living. If you’re looking for a sunny location perfect for raising a family, look no further than Santa Rosa County, FL.

Residents of Santa Rosa County value their families. One way of securing the future of their loved ones is by creating a well-rounded estate plan. They understand the importance of estate planning, choosing an experienced Florida estate planning attorney from Brightwell Law PLLC to help them prepare. Without a comprehensive estate plan in place, the state of Florida will make decisions on your behalf.

Call Our Experienced Santa Rosa Estate Planning Lawyers Now!

santa rosa county estate planning law firm

Making decisions about your estate planning might be a difficult task. You must consider your unique circumstances so that your documents will be drafted correctly to ensure the planning will work. Whether your goal with an estate plan is to care for your family or protect your business interests, Brightwell Law PLLC can help you.

Now is the best time to start planning for your and your family’s future, including protecting your hard-earned assets. Our seasoned Santa Rosa estate planning attorneys at Brightwell Law PLLC can guide you through the estate planning process and provide a tailored strategy to your needs.

Our estate planning law firm is well-respected in the community and we have earned a positive reputation for our dedication to excellence. We will discuss how wills, trusts, and other estate planning options can help you meet your estate planning goals.

Call our law office now and schedule an initial consultation with our qualified estate planning attorneys.

To get to Brightwell Law from Santa Rosa County:

  1. Get on I-10 W from Springhill Rd, County Rd 191/Munson Hwy and Garcon Point Rd
  2. Follow I-10 W and I-110 S to Pensacola
  3. Turn right
  4. Brightwell Law will be on your left
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