This book provides a comprehensive overview of what Florida residents should consider when thinking about "estate planning." The concept, "estate planning," is typically thought as death planning or tax planning. This approach may have been useful many years ago when life expectancy was short or the estate tax exemption was low. Today we live longer and estate taxes rarely affect 99% of the population. Therefore, when we talk about estate planning today the focus is more on control of our assets, incapacity planning, accessing to government benefits that may help with long term care planning, ensuring that our money will help us have a decent lifestyle, and eventually plan to leave a legacy to our children. This book covers the basic concepts such as wills, trusts, power of attorney, etc., how to prepare for an estate planning consultation, what you need to know about costs, and then explains concepts such as probate, guardianships, special needs trusts, Medicaid and Veterans Administration benefits that may help pay for long term care costs. The book is an essential reading to prepare to effectively discuss your plan of action with your trusted advisors. We hope you enjoy reading as we did preparing it.

What happens to your estate after you are gone is very much within your control. Estate planning is not only for the wealthy; it is for everyone. It is simply the process of deciding where your assets are to be distributed after your death. For those people who wish to preserve their assets for designated purposes such as family or special charities it becomes necessary to make special advance preparations. To ensure your assets are protected and final wishes are carried out, there are some common actions that should be taken now. Proper estate planning allows you to plan for yourself and your loved ones without giving up control of your affairs. Your estate plan should also allow for the possibility of your own disability. It should detail what you own and whom you want to leave it to at a time of your choosing and the way you want. Your estate plan should include fully disclosed, controlled costs for you and your loved ones. The last thing you want to worry about is having your estate drained of value through taxes and legal costs. The right plan can protect the value of your estate and spare your loved ones unnecessary hassles and legal conflicts. The Complete Guide to Planning Your Estate in Florida will help you glide through this complicated process. This new book has been adapted to offer Florida residents state-specific advice for estate planning. Author Linda C. Ashar, Attorney at Law, has crafted an estate planning primer, allowing Florida residents to become more informed and more involved during the process. Many books on estate planning indicate you do not need the services of an attorney, but this book highly recommends using an attorney versed in this area: You should not go through the process alone. This book is intended explain the complicated issues, terminology, and planning strategies of estate planning so when you do meet with a qualified attorney, you will be well prepared. You will understand the legal terms and be ready to discuss issues and strategies with familiarity, saving you time and legal fees and ensuring peace of mind. Florida-specific information is offered throughout this book, including: Florida''s probate code; Florida rules, regulations, and laws specific to estate planning; elements of a valid Florida will; planning your living will in Florida; explanations of Florida laws regarding durable health care power of attorneys, do not resuscitate (DNR) orders, and directives to withhold CPR. The book''s easy-to-understand context clarifies this complicated and sensitive subject and gives readers the power to take control of their future. This book also offers an overview of abatement rules, settlement costs, guardianship and minor children, executors and trustees, life insurance, potential long-term care needs, marital deductions, types of trusts, gift splitting, survivorship deeds, 529 plans, reducing or eliminating estate taxes, avoiding tax on life insurance, using insurance to pay estate taxes, gift tax issues, generation skipping transfer tax, and tax-deferred accounts. Estate planning should be a positive experience. It involves reviewing your situation and planning for your future. Although few people want to think about the possibility of disability or disease, advance planning is also a way to show your love and to reduce potential distress later. Other books offer a non-state-specific overview of estate planning, causing many readers to be misinformed about rules and regulations particular to their state; but, this new book provides information Florida residents need to know. Do not get outdated or wrong information that does not pertain to you specifically. Use this new book to craft an estate plan that is not only legally sound but also fully carries out your last wishes and protects your loved ones. Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company presidentâe(tm)s garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed.

DO YOU MAKE THESE ESTATE PLANNING MISTAKES? * Do you believe that having a Will avoids probate? * Do you think your estate is too small for estate planning? * Have you added one of your children's names to your home's deed to avoid probate? * Have you prepared a trust and never funded it? In nearly 30 years of practicing law in Florida, Dean Hanewinckel has helped his clients avoid these and other mistakes, while preparing an estate plan that saves money, time and aggravation. This book will teach you in plain-English what you need to know to create the perfect estate plan for you and your family and give you peace of mind.

We get it. You know that you need an Estate Plan. However, it is a scary, expensive, and confusing process. You don't know where to start, whom to go to, and what needs to be done. What have you done up to the point? Nothing correct? You are not alone. A survey done by internet law firm Rocket Lawyer found that 51% of Americans age 35-50 do not even have a simple will. The scarier statistic is that 65% of baby boomers do not have a basic Estate Plan. So where do you start? If you look at some of the other books available that are written by lawyers and legal services, look more like a legal textbook than a helpful guide. That is where this book differs. Written by veteran Financial Planner and author Jeff Kikel, this book takes you through the Estate Planning process in a simple and direct way that you can understand and implement. Jeff shares stories from his past clients, the mistakes that were made and how you can implement strategies to avoid these mistakes on your own. In this book you will learn: *What an Estate Plan is so you can implement this without confusion, which means your family will be protected.*The Five Components of an Estate Plan that you need to have which means you will be protected from most of the legal risks that you can encounter.* How to find an Attorney that will help you correctly complete this plan which means you can trust that the documents and estate plan process are done correctly the first time. * How to prepare for your appointment so that you are prepared for your appointment and will not feel stupid.* How to have a meeting with your family so that you can communicate your plan with them, avoiding hard feelings and miscommunication. If you are looking for a book to guide you through the process of estate planning, this is the Ultimate Guide to help you through the process

Planning for your family's future made easy! If you’re like most people, you want to be sure that, once you’ve passed on, no more of your property and money will be lost to the government than is absolutely necessary. You want to know that you’ll be leaving your heirs your assets and not your debts. You want to be absolutely certain that your will is ship-shape, your insurance policies are structured properly, and that every conceivable hole in your estate plan has been filled. And most of all, you’d like to do all of this without driving yourself crazy trying to make sense of the complicated jargon, jumble of paperwork, and welter of state and federal laws involved in the estate planning process. Written by two estate planning pros, this simple, easy-to-use guide takes the pain out of planning for your ultimate financial future. In plain English, the authors walk you step-by-step through everything you need to know to: Put your estate into order Minimize estate taxes Write a proper will Deal with probate Set up trusts Make sure your insurance policies are structured properly Plan for special situations, like becoming incompetent and pet care Craft a solid estate plan and keep it up-to-date Don’t leave the final disposition of your estate up to chance and the whims of bureaucrats. Estate Planning For Dummies gives you the complete lowdown on: Figuring out what you're really worth Mastering the basics of wills and probate Using will substitutes and dodging probate taxes Setting up protective trusts, charitable trusts, living trusts and more Making sense of state and federal inheritance taxes Avoiding the generation skipping transfer tax Minimizing all your estate-related taxes Estate planning for family businesses Creating a comprehensive estate plan Straightforward, reader-friendly, easy-to-use, Estate Planning For Dummies is the ultimate guide to planning your family’s future.