In August of 2014, we were all shocked to hear about the tragic death of Robin Williams. What some of us may question is whether his assets were protected? Mr. Williams decided to opt out of a will and leave separate trusts for his three children and his current spouse. Which is great to keep documentation private and to leave out the long dreadful process of probate. However, in Mr. Williams’ case, his records were revealed. Why? Because he failed to appoint a successor trustee. The original trustee of the trusts had died leaving it up to the California probate court to appoint a successor trustee. Once documentation gets put into the court’s hands, it becomes public record. Unfortunately his plan to keep documentation private failed.
In this case, Mr. Williams did plan in advance and tried to keep his affairs outside of probate court, but, his trusts required a little more planning. Without proper planning, you can encounter some bumps in the road.
Here at WFP Law we ensure that you have a backup plan. Let us help you make the right decisions when it comes to Estate Planning in Florida. Come in today for a free consultation and learn how to avoid situations like these.
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.