The answer is simple, everyone. (And yes, that includes you…)

Whether you are a parent, a property owner, or a professional, you need to protect your family and assets. No estate is too small for planning. Estate planning is a process involving the counsel of professional advisors who are familiar with your goals and concerns, your assets and how they are owned, and your family structure. It can involve the services of a variety of professionals, including your lawyer, accountant, financial planner, life insurance advisor, banker and broker.

Organizing your assets can help avoid family fights and reduce the stress of probate. If you fail to plan ahead, the court will appoint someone to handle your assets and personal care. Your assets will be distributed to your heirs according to a set of rules known as intestate succession. Contrary to popular belief, everything does not automatically go to the state if you die without a will. Your relatives, no matter how distant, will have priority in inheritance ahead of the state. Still, they may not be your choice of heirs. An estate plan gives you much greater control over who will inherit your assets after your death.

Less than half of all Florida residents have an estate plan in place yet the death rate in Florida has held steady at 100 percent. The reason for this lapse in judgment is most likely due to a focus on the word “estate” rather than the word “planning.” The two biggest misconceptions made by most South Floridians that lack comprehensive estate planning is that they are either too young to worry about it or not wealthy enough to worry about. However, the fact remains that very rarely is estate planning solely about the money.

While our South Florida estate planning attorneys have the expertise in tax planning, as well as the designations of LL.M. and CPA that provide for the highest level of professional service, our firm aims to shed the tax attorney paradigm that estate planners are often pigeon-holed with and focus instead on the dynamic relationships between our clients and their loved ones. 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.

For more information on successful Florida estate planning and probate 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

If you’re a South Floridian who loves to get spooked you probably gravitate towards haunted attractions, horror films, and gory costumes. We have something even more frightful up our sleeves that will give you a truly horrifying experience! You can live through your very own Halloween nightmare tale filled with accidental disinheritances, exorbitant taxes, and expensive probate litigation! You can watch small businesses collapse and witness the squandering of modest and large family fortunes right from the grave… when it’s too late! However, for those of us who don’t like to get scared and rather play on the safe side, here are some tips on preventing an “All Hallows’ Eve” of the estate.

First, do not erroneously assume your spouse, close friend, or even pets will be taken care of. You must specifically include your loved ones in your estate. Second, consider asset protection. It’s important to protect your beneficiaries from lawsuits, failed marriages, disability and wasteful spending. Finally, don’t do it all yourself. These do-it-yourself estate plans can create more problems than they solve. People title assets without understanding the legal ramifications behind it. There are risks and contingencies that need to be accounted for and only your South Florida attorney can help you with that.

To avoid another episode of “tales from the crypt,” it’s crucial to update your estate plan in the event of divorce. You should change the beneficiary designation form on your life insurance policy otherwise your ex-spouse will receive the proceeds. You should also account for any minor children in your will by appointing a guardian in the event you pass away. Otherwise, your children could end up wards of the state!

If you have family, friends or even a charitable intent, the absence of an estate plan is inexcusable. For more information on successful Florida estate planning and probate techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, 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?

“Lifestyles of the rich and famous” sings Good Charlotte, the American pop punk band from Waldorf, Maryland. The numbers are staggering. Today, there are more than 67 million Twitter users. Are you one of them? If so, please read closely. Celebrity Lady Gaga has 30,656,320 twitter followers (almost the current population of Canada), Justin Bieber 29,424,873 followers, Katy Perry 28,240,817 followers, Rihanna 26,407,641 followers and Britney Spears 21,380,602 followers. Are you a celebrity follower on Twitter? If so, please read even closer. We are a celebrity conscious culture. Celebrities consume more of our daily lives than ever before. Now, close your eyes. Imagine yourself being escorted out of a stretch Hummer limo, walking down the red carpet dressed in the finest designer clothes while being blinded by the flash bulbs of the surrounding paparazzi hoping to score that great shot. It’s the glitz and the glamour, the stardom, the wealth and influence that drives much of our society to live vicariously through celebrities. Fantasy never hurt anybody. “I’m half living my life between reality and fantasy at all times”, said Lady Gaga. But BEWARE: DO NOT FALL VICTIM—LIKE MANY CELEBRITIES HAVE, TO ESTATE PLANNING GONE WRONG! Estate planning is reality.

“The beat goes on” wrote Sonny Bono, former musician and politician. In 1998, Bono tragically died of injuries from hitting a tree while skiing. Bono never wrote a will. After his death, a child he secretly fathered out of wedlock surfaced to claim part of his estate along with his ex-wife Cher.

LESSON LEARNED: We have no idea how much longer “the beat goes on.” It would be wise to act now given the unfavorable situation we may all be faced with. Embrace this opportunity while you still can and contact your South Florida estate planning attorney now. You need to arm yourself with the necessary estate planning tools to protect your legacy and more importantly, protect your family.

If guitar legend Jimi Hendrix could have “One rainy wish”, what do you think it would be? In 1970, Hendrix unexpectedly died at the age of 27. Hendrix never wrote a will. Although Hendrix was closest to his brother, the state awarded everything to his father who then left everything to his adopted daughter from another marriage. Hendrix’s brother received nothing.

LESSON LEARNED: It’s never too late to make your “One rainy wish” a reality. If you have family, friends or even a charitable intent, the absence of an estate plan is inexcusable. For more information on successful Florida estate planning and probate techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, P.A. at 954-944-2855 or via email at info@wfplaw.com to schedule your free consultation.

Such nightmares could have been avoided by planning ahead.

Less than half of all Florida residents have an estate plan in place yet the death rate in Florida has held steady at 100 percent. The reason for this lapse in judgment is most likely due to a focus on the word “estate” rather than the word “planning.” The two biggest misconceptions made by most South Floridians that lack comprehensive estate planning is that they are either too young to worry about it or not wealthy enough to worry about. However, the fact remains that very rarely is estate planning solely about the money

To schedule your free consultation, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, P.A. at 954-944-2855 or via email at info@wfplaw.com.

It’s a Wild world. Are you protected?

So the iPhone 5 is finally out and initial buyers have been waiting in mile-long lines to snatch Apple’s latest generation device. One excited customer explained how much he liked the feeling of handling the phone by stating “it’s so light and has an impressive build quality to it.”

There something else that people should be more excited to invest in. It’s light on your wallet and is very well constructed.

That is your estate plan.

The genius behind apple’s products, Steve Jobs would certainly agree. The master behind the development of the first iPhone understood the importance of quality and solid construction.
Jobs was not only a brilliant innovator and businessman but he was brilliant in employing estate-planning attorneys to guide him in protecting his estimated $7 billion fortune. We all know Jobs was a very private man. That’s why he chose to establish trusts such as living trusts, charitable trusts, and marital trusts to preserve his assets, protect his family, and minimize estate taxes.

The key to correctly using a trust is to fund it with assets. In 2009, both Jobs and his wife transferred three real estate properties into two different trusts. Jobs was also the largest single shareholder of Disney and purportedly received millions of dollars in dividends. It wouldn’t be surprising if he placed those assets into a living trust as well.
Without a solidly constructed estate plan, Jobs would have subjected his loved ones to the burden of paying more than $2 billion in estate tax! That’s certainly not very light on the wallet. He played it smart and invested his money in seasoned and well-qualified attorneys in order to save his family money.

Great news. You can do the same in South Florida.

You can put your new iPhone to great use and google Wild Felice & Partners, PA for all your estate planning needs!

If you have family, friends or even a charitable intent, the absence of an estate plan is inexcusable. For more information on successful Florida estate planning and probate techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, 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?

Rosh Hashanah marks the new year of the Jewish calendar. As South Florida families gather around merrily in light of celebrating this special holiday and enjoying traditional meals together, the sense of love and unity inspires deep appreciation for each other. As family members sink their teeth into dipped honey apples that symbolize a sweet new year filled with abundance and good health, the sweet taste inspires gratitude to be alive at the present moment. But what about your thoughts of the future?

A really sweet way to start off the new year is to think about how to protect your loved ones. There is no better time than beginning the new year with all your assets in order to ensure the financial security of your family. Through solid estate planning, it’s a relief to know that your family will be extricated from the legal knots that can result from inadequate or lack of such planning. Whether it be through a Revocable or Irrevocable Trust or a Last Will & Testament, there are various options to guarantee that your family is in good, safe hands. As you welcome this new year with sweetness and abundance, think of your loved ones and how you can make sure they continue to warmly embrace each new year with deep reflections, love, hope, and positivity.

If you have family, friends or even a charitable intent, the absence of an estate plan is inexcusable. For more information on successful Florida estate planning and probate techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, 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?

A fatal mistake in estate planning is not having a plan. Although, Carey’s plan involves joining “American Idol” as the new judge, South Floridians who do not have a Will in place, risk placing their loved ones at the mercy of another type of judge…the one presiding over the Probate court.

For example, if you have any minor children, they may not end up with the guardians of your choice and raised with the “Vision of Love” you imagined. Instead, the Probate judge will determine guardian appointment when there are no express instructions stated in a Will. You might unintentionally be “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak” when your little ones end up in the wrong hands or in foster care as wards of the state!

In addition, without a properly drafted Will directing the distribution of your assets, Florida laws of intestacy are triggered. This means that state law will govern who gets your assets and how much. The result may be one that you may not have had in mind. Without a Will, your wishes concerning burial or cremation procedures will also not be fulfilled.

Therefore, it is of utmost importance to have an estate plan in place that ensures your wishes are honored after you die. The last thing you want is your loved ones trying to make it “Through the Rain” when a simple call to your South Florida estate planning attorney can avoid unnecessary heartbreak in the future.

If you have family, friends or even a charitable intent, the absence of an estate plan is inexcusable. For more information on successful Florida estate planning and probate techniques, please contact the South Florida law firm of Wild Felice & Partners, 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?