After a series of defeats in recent years, the movement to legalize same-sex marriage is hoping that its unexpected victory in New York will revive efforts to legalize gay marriage around the nation. The victory on Friday in New York, arguably the nation’s economic and cultural capital, carries enormous symbolic importance for the same-sex-marriage movement. New York is now the sixth and largest state in the country where gay couples will be able to wed legally. In late July, when the New York’s law goes into effect, there will be twice as many  Americans in jurisdictions where same-sex marriage is permitted as there are today.

However, Florida’s outlook for same sex marriage is grim. After the 2008 amendment to the Florida Constitution, both same-sex marriage and civil union have been constitutionally banned in Florida.

Article 1 Section 27 of the Florida Constitution states:

“Marriage defined. Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.”

Because the law in Florida considers that there is no formal relationship between members of the same sex and unmarried couples, Estate Planning is particularly important. Same sex Couples in Florida have tools at their disposal to plan for the future, among these are Domestic Partnership Agreements. It is equally important to specify your wishes for medical care and elect your healthcare surrogate. Without these documents the hospital must keep you alive by any means necessary, no matter the cost or true desire. Provide your loved ones as much protection as possible by establishing your estate plan.

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

Too often we use the excuse that “there aren’t enough hours in the day” when we are approached with chores that we know are important but require us to stop our daily routines long enough to take care of them.  One of the most important chores that you can ever check off of your To Do List is to have your estate plan drafted.  If you already have an estate plan, it is equally important to have it reviewed every 3 to 5 years with an estate planning attorney to account for changes in law, changes in tax and changes in your family.

Today is June 21.  June 21 is also known as the Summer Solstice; the longest day of the year.  My challenge to you is to use the extra time we receive today (and yes, I know we still only get 24 hours but work with me on this) to make an appointment with an estate planning attorney and get your estate plan in place and up to date before your days get shorter and shorter.

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

It’s a Wild world. Are you protected?

Today, Rep. Anthony Weiner listened to calls for his resignation from Congress after a two-week scandal. The scandal initiated when he posted a photograph exposing his genitals through his twitter account.

The sexting scandal grew when the Weiner admitted that he lied after initially claiming that his account had been hacked. Weiner eventually admitted that he sent the picture and had maintained several inappropriate relationships with women he met online. Weiner will most likely lose a very promising political career because he allowed himself to be exposed.

Don’t be a Weiner, never leave yourself exposed. That includes your assets and your loved ones.  For most people leaving a legacy to their loved ones is a priority. We live in a very litigious society; you never know when someone may want their share of your work. Don’t let a lifetime of hard work slip away in a matter of days. Make sure your Estate Plan and Asset Protection Plan are in order.

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

It’s a Wild world. Are you protected?

While NBA analysts, sports experts, newspaper columnists, and even your neighbor can make predictions on what is going to happen next, the truth is that the future is unknown for even the most talented of NBA teams.  Just like these NBA teams, our future is unknown. The morbid reality is that no one knows when they will die.  You can’t predict your future so it’s best to be prepared for it … by properly planning your estate to assure that your assets are protected.

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

It’s a Wild world. Are you protected?

Summer is just around the corner, which means – summer blockbuster movies! These high budget, star-studded flicks have already begun to hit the big screen and it seems like you have spent every one of your past weekends this month at the movies.  You were a good husband a couple of weeks back on that Friday night when you skipped seeing Hangover 2 with The Guys to take your wife instead to see Bridesmaids … but you did it because it made her happy.  After seeing X-Men: First Class with your younger son, he is running around the house, acting more like a mutant than ever.  And after seeing Pirates of the Caribbean 4 with your older son, he decided to try wearing eye liner to look more like Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow character … but again you did it because it made them both happy.  Finally, while your teenage daughter’s crush on Shia LaBeouf may be hard to stomach, you still plan to take her to the movies to see LaBeouf star in Transformers 3 the weekend it comes out … and you will do this because you know it will make her happy.

With all of the time and effort spent keeping your family happy at the movies, you can make your family and loved ones happy just by planning for their future, and yours, which means adequately setting up your estate and assuring asset protection.  You can make sure your family is taken care of well after you are gone by hiring a well-qualified, experienced Estate Planning Attorney who can help you construct an estate plan that fits the desires and intentions for your family.  Such legal representation can draft a living trust to protect your children’s financial future and eliminate the need for probate or simply create a Will which can pronounce a guardian for any minor children and establish and burial or cremation request you might have, thus reducing and legal procedures that a family must inevitably go through when a loved one dies.

So call us now for a free consultation, and be your family’s superhero by planning your estate … before you take them to see the superhero blockbuster Captain America this summer!

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

It’s a Wild world. Are you protected?

June is a month with a lot of important holidays.  The longest day of the year is in the month of June but I’m not using that fact to point out that
life is short and estate planning can’t wait. June also gives us Father’s Day but I’m not going to ask you if your father has his estate plan in order or even if you’ve done your part as a father or mother to assure that your children are protected. June is Gay Pride Month but the theme of this newsletter is not protecting your partner or avoiding will contests in a state that doesn’t recognize same sex partnerships.  Instead, I’d like to point out that I was born on June 22, which turns out to be National Chocolate Eclair Day.

I find it very upsetting that Donald Duck Day (June 9) is sandwiched between Name Your Poison Day and Iced Tea Day.  If you are planning on celebrating Insurance Awareness Day on June 28, be certain that all of your insurance is placed in an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust.  Whatever holidays you celebrate, please remember to take some time and assure that your family is taken care of with some foundational estate planning.

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

It’s a Wild world. Are you protected?