This week famed NBA center Jason Collins came out as the first openly gay athlete in a major men’s American team sport.  “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay,” Collins stated in the May 6, 2013, issue of Sports Illustrated.

Motivated by the recent Boston Marathon bombings, Collins acknowledged that he was done waiting for the perfect moment to come out.  He stated “things can change in an instant, so why not live truthfully?”

In a world of uncertainty, it is imperative that gay and lesbian couples to take advantage of proper estate planning.  The current laws do not afford same-sex unions the same legal protections as traditional married couples.  As it stands now your partner will most likely inherit nothing upon your death and could even be forced to move out of your shared home.  Same-sex partners in Florida also have no legal rights in the following areas:

• No elective share, or inheritance of a portion of the deceased’s estate.
• Not considered next of kin regarding decisions about your partner’s medical treatment when your partner is incapacitated.
• Not considered next of kin regarding hospital visitation rights.
• Not considered next of kin regarding decisions about your partner’s burial services.
• No protective tax treatment in terms of IRA’s and retirement plans.
• No shared access to their partner’s Social Security benefits or Medicare benefits.

Don’t just sit idle hoping that everything will work out.   Make sure your beloved partner is protected upon your passing.  At Wild Felice & Partners, we can work with you to draft a comprehensive estate plan to recreate some of the rights and benefits of traditional married couples.  Some key elements include:

• Last Will and Testament to ensure that your estate is not blindly distributed according to intestacy laws.
• Living Will which will specify how you would like to be taken care of in case of incapacity.
• Designation of Health Care Surrogate which will allow your same-sex partner to give informed consent for your medical treatment.

Our South Florida law firm treats estate planning in terms of a married couple, so the fee plan for a same-sex couple will naturally get the same treatment.  For more information on how to plan for your partner’s future, contact our South Florida law firm of Wild, Felice & Partners, PA for a free consultation at (954) 944-2855.

The world watched in horror as the stabbing spree at a Texas Community College unfolded on Tuesday, April 9th.  At least  14 people were injured at the hands of mentally unstable student Dylan Andrew Quick, 20.  Quick used a “razor-type knife”  and began slashing students in between classes.  Amazingly, none of the injuries were fatal.

This can be attributed to the quick response of fellow students and faculty who tackled the stabbing suspect to  the ground and sat on him until Rescue Workers arrived.  Unfortunately random acts of violence have become all too common.   But proper planning helped mitigate the injuries in this attack.  Employees, staff, and students in every profession  have gotten the message that if chaos strikes, don’t sit idly by and hope for the best.  That’s too risky.  The same can be said  of unexpected circumstances in life such as sudden accidents or death.  We can’t prevent catastrophes, but we CAN have a contingency plan in place in case they do occur.

Severe injury or death of a loved one is always followed by panic, shock, and frequently chaos.  In case you become  disabled or incapacitated in Florida, who will call the shots?  Who will give informed consent regarding the type of medical  treatment you should receive?

Our team of experienced South Florida estate planning attorneys can help you prepare crucial documents that reflect your  medical and financial desires.  This includes:

1. Durable Power of Attorney – will allow the designated person(s) to manage your financial affairs should you become  mentally or physically unable to do so.
2. Designation of Health Care Surrogate – allows the designated person(s) to make medical decisions on your behalf.
3. HIPAA Release – HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) requires health care providers  to be very careful how they release health care information. You will name one or more persons who will be able to have  access to all of your medical information.
4. Living Will – will state whether you want your life to be artificially prolonged or whether you prefer to be allowed  to die naturally.

The best way to be certain of which supplemental documents you need as part of your estate plan is to consult with your  estate planning attorney.

For more information on successful Florida estate planning and medical designation choices,  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?

All it took was one whirlwind of commotion in the Windy City and POOF…the Miami Heat are no longer unbeatable.  Last night the Chicago Bulls destroyed the 27 game winning streak that was adorning South Florida’s superstars.  Lebron James fought ferociously to keep his legacy going, but it was snapped away by a more powerful force.

Thought South Florida’s celebrated team was invincible?  Much like you?  Think again.  Every day we go to bed, wake up, and go about our daily routine.  But the inevitable is coming.  Much like the Bulls charged the Heat last night, fate will overcome you too.  But don’t be caught off guard.

We can’t predict or control when we are going to die. However, we can control what happens after we are gone. Today you may be healthy and feeling great, tomorrow an unforeseen event can change your whole game plan.  Life is short.  Get your estate plan in place today.

Wild Felice & Partners is a full-service, Fort Lauderdale, Florida based law firm with a specialty in estate planning, asset protection, tax strategies, wills, and probate administration. We utilize a combination of real estate law, estate planning strategies, family law, and asset structuring to assure that our clients are protected from any threats that may be looming.

Our experienced Florida estate planning attorneys are on your team!  For more information on how to plan for your future, contact our South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, PA for a free consultation at (954) 944-2855.

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

This week the Supreme Court is grappling with two landmark cases addressing the ban on gay marriage.  The legislation at the forefront of these debates:  Proposition 8 and DOMA.  The court will ask: Are they gender based-classifications, and if so, can such discriminatory laws exist?

Proposition 8 is a California constitutional amendment, passed in November 2008, stating that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid in California.” Proposition 8 overturned California’s previous Supreme Court’s ruling which recognized that same-sex couples “have a constitutional right to marry.”  DOMA, or the Defense of Marriage Act, is a United States federal law that defines marriage as the “legal union of one man and one woman.”  DOMA was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in September 1996.

While we hope that gay marriage will get passed through Congress soon, couples are still legal strangers under federal law and in most state laws, including Florida.  Even Justice Anthony Kennedy at the Supreme Court acknowledged that there is an “immediate” legal harm to those same-sex couples who cannot be married.

Unless gay couples take advantage of proper estate planning, the truth is that same-sex unions are not recognized and do not have the same legal protections as traditional married couples.  Based upon civil union status, your partner will most likely inherit nothing upon your death and could even be forced to move out of your shared home.  Imagine a scenario with an unmarried couple where one partner dies and there is no will in place.  Legally, the remaining partner does not automatically inherit the shared home, assets, or any of their partner’s personal effects.  Futhermore, same-sex partners in Florida have no legal rights in the following areas:

• No elective share, or inheritance of a portion of the deceased’s estate.
• Not considered next of kin regarding decisions about your partner’s medical treatment when your partner is incapacitated.
• Not considered next of kin regarding hospital visitation rights.
• Not considered next of kin regardingdecisions about your partner’s burial services.
• No protective tax treatment in terms of IRA’s and retirement plans.
• No shared access to their partner’s Social Security benefits or Medicare benefits.

Don’t just sit idle hoping that the government will make the right decision and protect you.   Make sure your beloved partner is protected upon your passing.  At Wild Felice & Partners, we can work with you to draft a comprehensive estate plan to recreate some of the rights and benefits of traditional married couples.

Some key elements include:

• Last Will and Testament to ensure that your estate is not blindly distributed according to intestacy laws.
• Living Will which will specify how you would like to be taken care of in case of incapacity.
• Designation of Health Care Surrogate which will allow yoursame-sex partner to give informed consent for your medical treatment.

Our South Florida law firm treats estate planning in terms of a married couple, so the fee plan for a same-sex couple will naturally get the same treatment.  For more information on how to plan for your partner’s future, contact our South Florida law firm of Wild, Felice & Partners, PA for a free consultation at (954) 944-2855.

Many individuals in Florida are excited to celebrate the upcoming Passover Seder by eating the Matzoh and drinking the wine.  But did you know that “seder” actually means “order” in Hebrew?  This “order” is seen by the 15 parts that make up the rituals of the Passover Seder dinner.

This starts with a pre-Passover spring cleaning and destroying chametz.  Once the holiday arrives, the story of the Exodus is retold through a reading of the Haggadah.  Next comes the most memorable part of Passover, the Seder dinner.  On the table should lay a handful of symbolic foods:  “matzoh” to symbolize the haste with which the Israelites fled Egypt; “zeroah” or roasted lamb shank, to symbolize the sacrificial offering; “maror” or bitter herbs to symbolize the bitterness of slavery, and “beitzah” a roasted egg, as a symbol of life and perpetual existence.

Some serious time and thought goes into planning for Passover and the Seder dinner.  The reason is because we want to preserve our heritage and pass on the legacy to our children and grandchildren.  As you prepare and get things in order for this year’s Passover Seder, put some thought into organizing your Estate Plan and future financial goals for once you pass on.   Creating an estate plan with specific designations can ensure that you pass on your legacy to each family member exactly the way you envision it.

At Wild Felice & Partners, we take customer service very seriously.  We pride ourselves on working together with our clients to set and achieve the desired outcome.  No estate plan is ever cookie cutter.

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. Estate planning is about those friends and family left behind, which is why we first ask our clients what their wealth transfer and asset protection goals are and then explain how we can accomplish those goals together.

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

Today Pope Francis, the 266th pope and first from South America, celebrated the official start of his papacy in St. Peter’s Square.  Approximately 200,000 onlookers cheered and waved flags representing a wealth of nations.  The pope’s message was as clear as the bright blue skies above, “I want to ask you to walk together, and take care of one another.”

Stressing that being a “protector” applies to all of humanity, Pope Francis called for mercy and compassion.  “I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be protectors of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment.”

How can we apply the Pope’s words to our daily lives in Florida?  Don’t just tell your beloved family members that you will protect and care for them.  Show them by setting an appointment with your South Florida estate planning attorney today.  Creating an estate plan with specific designations can ensure that each family member is protected exactly the way you envision.  Our South Florida firm routinely utilizes a variety of estate planning tools, including Trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Surrogates, Funding Techniques, and more.

The pope has relayed his message and so should you.  Act now and become the protector of your family and loved ones.

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