ESTATE PLANNING
Personalized And Comprehensive
Estate Planning
No matter what your needs are or what stage of life you are in, estate planning can allow you to provide for your loved ones and protect your assets. At The Warnock Law Group in Fort Myers, we understand that every client has unique estate planning needs. Our estate planning attorneys will take the time to understand your concerns and develop a plan to accomplish your goals.
Experienced Estate Planning Lawyers
Combined, our lawyers have more than 30 years of experience on estate planning, probate, and business and corporations as well. We understand the many legal possibilities that can accomplish specific goals, such as trusts and other estate instruments. When you choose our law firm, we will develop an estate plan and supporting documents tailored to meet your needs.
Tailored To Fit Your Requirements
An estate plan can be complex and consist of multiple elements, particularly if you have significant assets. On the other hand, it can be simple and straightforward, requiring only a few essential documents. Our attorneys will take a look at your situation, listen to your goals and then advise you of the recommended steps to take. Our firm provides a complete range of estate planning services, including:
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Wills
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Trusts, including living, revocable and special needs trusts
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Powers of attorney and advance medical directives
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Asset protection planning services
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Guardianships
Protecting Your Assets And Minimizing Your Taxes
While our law firm serves people from all walks of life, we have particular experience helping high net worth individuals establish estate plans and protect assets. We can:
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Explain estate tax minimization strategies such as an AB trust
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Plan for the transition of your business to a new owner
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Write prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
Contact Us Today
You can depend on The Warnock Law Group for knowledgeable advice and quality estate planning solutions. To schedule a free initial consultation with one of our estate planning attorneys, call 239-437-1197 or contact us online.
POWER OF ATTORNEY
The primary purpose of a will is to describe how you want your possessions distributed after your death. But a will has other uses too. You can designate a guardian for your minor children should you die. You can name a personal representative (executor) to wrap up the financial affairs of your estate. A will can enable you to provide for your family and give you peace of mind.
Protecting Your Loved Ones With A Will
Providing Quality Legal Solutions
At The Warnock Law Group, we draft all types of powers of attorney for people in the Fort Myers area and elsewhere in Southwest Florida. For a reasonable and affordable fee, we can review your situation and draft the document or documents that can achieve your goals.
A Power Of Attorney Or A Conservatorship?
If your parent can no longer make sound decisions about financial affairs, you may wish to consider getting a durable power of attorney. This can protect your parent’s assets and prevent their dissipation. A durable power of attorney is a much more economical and less cumbersome alternative to a conservatorship. A lawyer at our firm can discuss this possibility with you.
Free Consultation — Contact Our Firm
Learn more about the benefits of a power of attorney. In Fort Myers, contact The Warnock Law Group for a free initial consultation.
Learn More
A power of attorney appoints another person or persons to make decisions on your behalf. As the name indicates, it is indeed powerful. It places key decisions about a person’s financial affairs or health care in the hands of another party.
Three types of powers of attorney are essential elements that should be included in every person’s estate plan:
Power of attorney for financial affairs — This empowers another party to make financial decisions and conduct transactions on your behalf. Such a document can be
durable (meaning that the powers granted are permanent) or temporary (the powers expire on a certain date or after a certain event occurs).
Health care surrogate — This document empowers another party to make decisions about your health care if you are unable to make them yourself. In other states, this document goes by names such as health care power of attorney, health care proxy or advance medical directive.
Living will — This document informs health care providers regarding the services you wish to be provided or do not wish to be provided should you reach an end-of-life situation.
Advance planning can spare loved ones from having to make difficult decisions should an unexpected event occur.
TRUSTS
What Are The Benefits Of A Trust?
Trusts are a very useful means of protecting assets. Some trusts can enable you to avoid probate. Others can minimize the effects of taxation. Provisions can be added to a trust to accomplish specific goals.
For example, at The Warnock Law Group, we add a spendthrift provision to irrevocable trusts which places control of the trust funds in the hands of the trustee, not the beneficiary. This puts the trust’s funds beyond the reach of creditors.
Our law firm has extensive experience creating trusts for all types of needs. We understand the various uses of trusts and what is and what is not possible with a particular type of trust. Our attorneys are prepared to put that experience and knowledge to work for you.
Creative Trust Solutions For Any Need
In a free consultation, a lawyer at our firm can review your situation and what you wish to accomplish. If one or more trusts can help you achieve your goals, we can create the trust or trusts you need, making sure to include provisions that are relevant to your situation.
The Warnock Law Group, in Fort Myers, Florida,
creates and provides administration services for all types of trusts, including:
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Simple trusts
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Special needs trusts
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Revocable living trusts
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Joint trusts
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Marital trusts
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Residential trusts
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Irrevocable trusts
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Insurance trusts
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Pet trusts
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AB trusts
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Credit shelter trusts
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Other types of trusts
Protecting Your Assets
Our firm provides asset protection planning services for high net worth and other individuals. We can discuss the creation of an AB trust or other trust that can reduce your tax burden and preserve your assets. When it comes to trusts, the possibilities are virtually endless. Let the attorneys at The Warnock Law Group apply their knowledge and creativity to your situation.
Free Consultation With A Lawyer
Contact The Warnock Law Group to schedule a consultation with an experienced trust attorney in Fort Myers.
WILLS
Protecting Your Loved Ones With A Wil
The primary purpose of a will is to describe how you want your possessions distributed after your death. But a will has other uses too. You can designate a guardian for your minor children should you die. You can name a personal representative (executor) to wrap up the financial affairs of your estate. A will can enable you to provide for your family and give you peace of mind.
Experienced Will Lawyers In Fort Myers
At the law firm of The Warnock Law Group, we draft and revise wills for people from all walks of life. We also provide estate planning services to help our clients achieve specific goals. We offer free initial consultations, charge reasonable fees and provide responsive service.
When you come to our Fort Myers offices to discuss your needs, we will take time to learn about you, your family, your values and your long-term goals. Based on these considerations, we will then draft a will designed to help you achieve those goals. At the same time that we draft your will, we can also create other essential estate planning documents such as a power of attorney, health care surrogate and living will.
Revising Your Estate Plan And Documents
Some people may need to create only one last will and testament during their lifetimes. But the vast majority will need to revise their wills and other estate documents as time passes. If you have experienced or are about to experience a significant change in your life, such as marriage, the birth of a child or divorce, you should speak with an estate planning attorney concerning your will.
For a reasonable and affordable fee, The Warnock Law Group can draft a new will and other estate documents that correspond with your current situation and needs.
Free Consultation With An Attorney
To schedule a consultation about drafting a will or other estate documents, contact The Warnock Law Group in Fort Myers, Florida.
SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING
Proactive Guardianship Arrangements
In addition to creating a special needs trust, we can also create a guardianship for your child. This can be either a pre-need guardianship for a minor child or a special needs adult guardianship. This can give you peace of mind and ensure that your child will be properly cared for in the future.
Experienced Special Needs Planning Attorneys
The attorneys at our firm have more than 40 years of combined experience and provide compassionate counsel for loving parents. You can depend on us for quality legal solutions.
Effective Trust Arrangements
A special needs trust can protect assets while preserving a disabled individual’s access to government benefits such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income benefits. Based on your child’s needs, your financial situation and other factors, we can then create the trust and other estate vehicles that can protect your child as he or she matures.
Planning Special Needs
As the parent of a special needs child, you probably worry about who will care for him or her when you are no longer able to do so. At The Warnock Law Group in Fort Myers, Florida, we provide cost-effective services for parents of children with special needs. We create special needs trusts, guardianships and other estate law instruments that can ensure special needs children get the care and services they deserve.
Contact Us Today
In a free consultation, we can review your situation and explain your legal options. Call The Warnock Law Group today at 239-437-1197 or fill out this online form to schedule an appointment with a special needs trust lawyer in Fort Myers.
Three Myths
About
Estate Planning
The Warnock Law Group in Fort Myers offers full estate planning services and is experienced at identifying the legal solutions to address your needs and concerns optimally. We often hear opinions about estate planning that are myths. We would like to offer the real answers behind some of these statements.
“You Have To Be Rich To Benefit From An Estate Plan”
Comprehensive estate planning can benefit people in every economic status and at every age. Naming someone to handle your affairs if you are unable to do so makes sure your interests are carried out even if you die suddenly. An estate plan can protect your home and assets when you die and ensure that your loved ones pay the lowest amount of taxes possible.
“Having A Will Is Enough To Keep You Out Of Probate”
Not exactly. In Florida, every estate must go through some form of probate, which is court supervision of the settling of the estate. If you just have a valid will, your wishes for the division of your estate will get carried out. However, you will not have taken advantage of the direct transfer of assets and tax savings that a trust can give.
“Creating A Trust Is Enough”
Estate planning is not about choosing a will versus a trust. As with a will, having only a trust is not enough to fully protect your family and your interests in the event of your death. With a trust, you can directly transfer some assets to heirs, but without a will, the funds subject to probate will be disbursed according to Florida law. The trust is also not automatically funded. Funding a trust needs to happen with an attorney as part of the trust administration process.
Learn More Today
Take advantage of our informed and personalized approach to estate planning. Give The Warnock Law Group a call at 239-437-1197 or contact us online to learn more about estate planning in a free initial consultation.
How Could A Prenuptial/Postnuptial Affect Your Estate?
Prenuptial And Postnuptial Agreement Solutions
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements can provide many benefits. Chief among those benefits are the protection of individual assets and the removal of a potential source of conflict should a divorce occur. A premarital agreement is particularly beneficial for people who want to protect the inheritance rights of children from previous marriages.
How We Can Help You
At The Warnock Law Group, we advise clients and provide services regarding premarital and postnuptial agreements. For a reasonable and affordable fee, our law firm can:
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Draft a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement
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Review a proposed agreement
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Provide an opinion regarding the enforceability of an existing agreement
A lawyer at our firm can review your situation, explain the benefits of a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement and provide the services you need. If necessary, we can also create a trust or other estate instruments that can further protect your assets and your interests.
Personalized Solutions And Responsive Service
Our lawyers understand the importance of your legal matter. When you choose our law firm, we will review your situation and provide advice and services tailored specifically to your needs. We will answer your questions, provide responsive service and work diligently to achieve your goals.
Get Legal Advice Today
To be enforceable under Florida law, it is advisable for the respective parties to a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement to have their own attorneys. Both parties to a prenuptial agreement must also have sufficient time before the marriage to review a proposed agreement. To protect yourself, you should obtain legal advice well in advance of your marriage.
Call Us Today
To schedule a free initial consultation with a prenuptial agreement lawyer in Fort Myers, call The Warnock Law Group today at 239-437-1197 or fill out our online form.