Questions
Asked often, answered plainly.
A revocable trust generally only covers assets that have actually been transferred into it, which is why many people also keep a will in place alongside it. A pour-over will can direct any assets still held individually into the trust and can name a personal representative for the probate estate. The two documents are typically drafted to work together, and titling and beneficiary designations can be reviewed as part of an estate plan to help reduce what might otherwise fall outside the trust.
The firm’s wills, trusts and estates practice spans 18 years, including years spent practicing alongside a second attorney who was recognized as a Super Lawyer in the same field for roughly four decades before retiring. That background continues to inform the approach applied to estate planning and estate administration matters handled today.
Broward County is the primary service area, and estate and guardianship matters may also extend into Miami-Dade County. A full list of the South Florida communities served is available on our Areas We Serve page.
Meetings are primarily conducted virtually, by phone or video, so the documents to bring can be confirmed in advance. When paperwork needs to be signed in person, arrangements can potentially be made to meet at a convenient South Florida location, such as Flanigan’s or the Regus office center at the Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale.
Response times are typically within a couple of hours during business days. Because the firm operates with a single attorney, calls and messages are generally handled directly rather than routed through a larger team, and contact form submissions are typically reviewed directly as well.
Whether a divorce moves forward as contested or uncontested often depends on how much is genuinely in dispute. Where the disagreement is narrow, an uncontested or collaborative process can potentially be faster, less costly and easier on any children involved. Where issues such as business valuation, support or time-sharing are more significantly contested, a more involved court process may become necessary. These factors are typically something that can be discussed and weighed before anything is filed.
A guardianship may become relevant when an adult is no longer able to manage their own affairs and does not have a durable power of attorney or health care surrogate designation in place, or when a minor receives assets that require a legal decision maker. Less restrictive alternatives are typically considered first, since guardianship involves ongoing court supervision.
Yes. Title work is part of the practice and can include title searches and commitments, curative work where a gap appears in the chain of title, closing coordination, and issuance of an owner’s policy, carried out through an of counsel relationship with a Florida title company. This can come up when a property passes through an estate or moves between family members.
AV is the highest peer review rating Martindale-Hubbell issues. It is not purchased or self-reported. It reflects confidential ratings submitted by other attorneys and members of the judiciary on legal ability and adherence to ethical standards.
Helpful items can include a list of assets and how each one is titled, any existing will, trust or directive, current beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance, and the names of people who might be considered for roles such as trustee, personal representative and health care surrogate. Coming without all of it is also fine, since the rest can typically be gathered together during that first conversation.
Yes. Estate administration is a core part of the practice, spanning summary administration for smaller estates through formal administration, along with creditor claims, homestead determinations, and final distribution to beneficiaries.