WHETHER you’re in South Florida or Timbuktu, you are already well aware that Miami Heat took their second straight NBA championship on Thursday night. LeBron James has been credited as the leader of this win, taking the title of Finals MVP. While LeBron has responded to his worshiping fans with statements of humility and gratefulness; his victory is not limited to his championships. Financial reports show that prior to Lebron’s arrival on the Heat, the franchise was valued at $425 million, and is now estimated to be $625 million.

While we can’t pull a LeBron & help you increase your profits by $200 million within a three year span; we can assist you with a triumphant victory in the estate planning department. The following five documents can help you increase control over your assets, and reduce the costs associated with probate.

1. Living Trust – a living trust has become increasingly desirable due to its ability to avoid probate (the legal process of determining whether a will is valid). If you are married, you may want to designate yourself and your spouse as co-trustees, so that you have full control over the property while you are still alive. Side Note: such control does have tax consequences, so you will want to discuss this with your estate planning attorney.
2. Assignment of Property – this is exactly that, assigning your property to your trust. In other words, placing your property into the trust. This includes both real & personal property. A trust does not do anything for you if there is no property in it.
3. Last Will & Testament – this is your traditional will that is used upon death to distribute property to beneficiaries, specify last wishes, and name guardians for minor children.
4. Durable Power of Attorney – this allows you to designate and authorize someone to legally act on your behalf, in the event that you become incapacitated.
5. Combination Living Will & Designation of Healthcare Surrogate – this outlines important healthcare decisions in advance, and appoints a healthcare surrogate to make healthcare decisions for you when you become unable to do so yourself.

When it comes to your estate, ask yourself, “What Would LeBron Do?” Clearly, he’d maximize winnings & profit! Whether you’re in South Florida or Timbuktu, protecting your assets & decreasing your costs is both a winning and profit maximization.

For more information on successful Florida estate planning and asset protection techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, P.A. at 954-944-2855 or via email at mwild@wfplaw.com to schedule your free consultation.

        It’s a Wild world. Are you protected? SM

Poor Miss Utah, Marissa Powell, is facing nothing but critics regarding her answer to the income inequality question posed on Sunday night’s Miss USA pageant. Miss Powell’s beauty failed to meet brains; rather, it met her social demise, as demonstrated by the answer to the following question:

“A recent report shows that in 40 percent of American families with children, women are the primary earners yet they continue to earn less than men. What does this say about society?”  Her answer of “we need to figure out how to make education better,” marked a painful downward spiral.

If there is a moral to this story, it is to plan ahead. Although Miss Utah’s question wasn’t exactly a curveball; life can catch us off guard with the difficult of situations. Prepare for life’s unexpected challenges in South Florida with an estate plan that answers some of the following questions (don’t worry, nothing on income inequality).

If you died today, or became incapacitated, would you have the following benefits?

• asset protection
• control over your assets
• protection for your loved ones
• preclusion of unnecessary taxes
• creditor protection
• limited/no transfer taxes for following generations

If the answer to any of these is “no,” you should consider seeking an estate planning attorney to assist you in planning ahead for any of life’s Wild, & unexpected challenges. This may include, but is not limited to the following documents:

1.  Living Trust – gain control, asset protection, & preclusion of unnecessary taxes by designating a trustworthy Trustee.
2. Assignment of Property – place all of your property into the trust, and avoid costs & headache associated with probate.
3. Last Will & Testament – used to distribute property to beneficiaries (or a trust), specify last wishes, and name guardians for minor children.
4. Durable Power of Attorney – gain control by designating someone to legally act on your behalf in the event that you become incapacitated.
5. Combination Living Will & Designation of Healthcare Surrogate – gain control by making important healthcare decisions in advance.

For more information on successful Florida estate planning and asset protection techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, P.A. at 954-944-2855 or via email at mwild@wfplaw.com to schedule your free consultation.

 It’s a Wild world. Are you protected? SM

According to Guinness World Records, the last man alive from the nineteenth century has passed away. Jiroemon Kimura, the oldest man in recorded history, was 116 years old. The resident of Kyōtango, Japan, was being treated for pneumonia in the past week when he stopped responding to treatment. He then died of natural causes. I wonder if he had an estate plan in place?

Whether you live to be 116 years old or die tomorrow, one thing is for sure; Kimura’s case is extremely rare, and there are no guarantees. There is no better time than now to set up an estate plan to protect you and your loved ones. Wild Felice & Partners is a full-service, Fort Lauderdale, Florida based law firm with a specialty in asset protection. We utilize a combination of estate planning, real estate, corporate formation, family law, and asset structuring to assure that our clients are protected from potential litigation, creditors, and any other threats that may be looming.

An estate plan is not just about death. Whether you are still at the early part of your earning potential, have young children to worry about, or are concerned with reducing the possible estate tax or probate mess, accomplishing these goals as quickly as possible is crucial.

While our South Florida estate planning attorneys have the knowledge and experience to provide the highest level of estate tax planning, our firm aims to shed the tax paradigm and focus instead on the dynamic relationships between our clients and their loved ones. WFP Law realizes that estate planning is truly for the loved ones that we leave behind.

Our comprehensive estate plans include the following:

 1. Living trust

 2. Assignment of Property

 3. Last Will and Testament

 4. Durable Power of Attorney

 5. Combination Living Will & Designation of Healthcare Surrogate

South Florida residents can all only hope to live as long as Kimura did, but in the mean time while we are still alive and kicking, it is crucial to set up an estate plan.  For more information on successful Florida estate planning and asset protection techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, P.A. at 954-944-2855 to schedule your free consultation.

It’s a Wild world. Are you protected?SM

Florida Gator superstar, Tim Tebow, has been signed by the New England Patriots. After a disappointing season playing backup to Mark Sanchez, Tebow was finally released by the New York Jets in late April. Previously, there had been numerous speculations of Tebow’s NFL career coming to end, but Patriots coach Bill Belichick begs to differ.

Even though Tebow has been intent on saying he can and will be a full-time NFL quarterback once again, he has still been waiting for a team to pick him up since April. Unlike Tebow, you have the power to take charge of your matters, most importantly, planning your estate. We cannot predict or control when we are going to die. However, we can control what happens after we are gone.  Do not let your fate be in the hands of someone else; you should be actively planning ahead to take charge of your future.

Michael D. Wild is a Florida attorney specializing in the areas of estate planning and asset protection. For more information on successful Florida estate planning and asset protection techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice& Partners, P.A. at 954-944-2855 or via email at mwild@wfplaw.com to schedule your free consultation.

It’s a Wild world. Are you protected?SM

Summer is finally here, and with that brings Father’s Day. Family picnics, barbeques, celebrations, and everything else that comes along with the holiday should not have you forgetting about your estate plan. The truth is, the holiday should not only be about celebrating, but should also be reminding you that it is important to protect you and your loved ones. If you do not already have a solid estate plan in place, NOW is the perfect time to create one.

Wild Felice & Partners is a full-service, Fort Lauderdale, Florida based law firm with a specialty in asset protection. We utilize a combination of estate planning, real estate, corporate formation, family law, and asset structuring to assure that our clients are protected from potential litigation, creditors, and any other threats that may be looming. A properly designed asset protection plan can accomplish many of your most important objectives:

• Protection of family savings and investments from lawsuits and claims.
• Protection against inadequate or unavailable insurance coverage.
• Insulation of rental properties reducing your exposure to potential lawsuits.
• Protection of business assets and accounts receivable from potential claims.
• Elimination of probate.
• Reduction of estate taxes.

While our South Florida estate planning attorneys have the knowledge and experience to provide the highest level of estate tax planning, our firm aims to shed the tax attorney paradigm and focus instead on the dynamic relationships between our clients and their loved ones. WFP Law realizes that estate planning is truly for the loved ones that we leave behind.

Our comprehensive estate plans include the following:

• Living trust
• Assignment of Property
• Last Will and Testament
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Combination Living Will & Designation of Healthcare Surrogate

So for this Father’s Day, utilize the holiday to protect you fathers and grandfathers, and set up a solid estate plan.  For more information on successful Florida estate planning and asset protection techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, P.A. at 954-944-2855 to schedule your free consultation.

It’s a Wild world. Are you protected?SM

AND THE RESULTS ARE IN – Kellie Pickler & her partner Derek Hough have Cha-Cha-Cha’d their way to the Dancing With the Stars’ Hall of Fame, as the Season 16 Champions! The petite, pixie-cut Pickler is now the proud owner of the DWTS “mirror ball trophy.” The dancing queen has dominated both American Idol & Dancing with the Stars – what’s next, Top Chef? Project Runway? Survivor?

Regardless of where Pickler decides to direct her talents, her youth (age 26) & celebrity status will do little to protect her growing wealth without the implementation of estate planning.

Marilyn Monroe was 36 when she died. Although she had a will & trust, she did not have an estate plan in place to ensure all of her assets were distributed to her desired beneficiaries, and estate taxes absorbed over half of her net estate.

NFL Quarterback, Steve McNair, died at the age of 36. He had $20 million in his estate, but no will in place to provide for his four children. After years of probate, taxes, and legal fees, there is still no resolution in sight.

In cases like that of Marilyn Monroe & Steve McNair, where the estate exceeds the exemption equivalent, there are many estate planning techniques that can be used to limit estate taxes in Florida such as:

• Bypass Trust
• QPRT (Qualified Personal Residence Trust)
• ILIT (Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust)
• QTIP (Qualified Terminable Interest Property trust)

Over half of adults under the age of 34 do not have a will or estate plan in place.  Regardless of age, you want to protect your assets and ensure that you have control over their distribution.  Learn a lesson or two from these celebrities – you are never too young to waltz your way into estate planning protection.

For more information on successful Florida estate planning and asset protection techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, P.A. at 954-944-2855 to schedule your free consultation.

It’s a Wild world. Are you protected?SM