Articles Posted in Estate Planning

Is a Handwritten Will Valid Under Florida Law? By: Jacqueline R. Bowden Gold, Miami Lakes Estate Planning Attorney When planning for the future, a crucial step is ensuring that your wishes are respected after your death. This often involves creating a will. However, not all wills are created equal, and understanding the types of wills…

Keeping Peace in The Family: 5 Common Pitfalls By Attorney Phil Rarick, Weston Estate Planning Attorney As an estate planning attorney, I sometimes witness stressful family fights that break out upon the death of a father or mother or husband and wife. On some occasions, it’s outright family warfare! What is painful is that the…

Celebrities Who Died Without a Last Will The Importance of Estate Planning By: Jacqueline R. Bowden Gold, Miami Estate Planning Attorney When we think of celebrities, we often envision lives of glamour, wealth, and success. However, many high-profile individuals have passed away without taking a crucial step that could have spared their families years of…

Incorporating Cryptocurrency into Your Estate Plan By: Jacqueline R. Bowden Gold As cryptocurrency continues to grow in popularity, it has become an increasingly important asset class for investors. However, many people overlook the complexities involved in incorporating digital assets into their estate plans. Unlike traditional assets, cryptocurrency presents unique challenges and considerations. Here’s a guide…

By Phil Rarick, Miami Trust Attorney Naming a minor child as a beneficiary of a will, life insurance policy, IRA, 401K, bank account or any other source of fund is almost always a substantial mistake for four reasons: Much Better Options For more information about protecting funds for your minor children, contact an attorney at…

A Crucial Tool for Estate Planning By: Jacqueline R. Bowden Gold, Miami Estate Planning Attorney Step-up in basis is a tax provision in the United States that can significantly benefit those who inherit assets. By resetting the value of an inherited asset to its fair market value at the time of the decedent’s death, this…

By Jacqueline R. Bowden Gold, Miami Estate Planning Attorney Many people are concerned about their family avoiding probate upon their passing, but how can you avoid guardianship proceedings? As people age, the risk of cognitive decline and physical disabilities can sometimes necessitate guardianship, where a court appoints someone to make decisions on behalf of the…

Florida Successor Trustee Checklist By Phillip B. Rarick, Miami Trust Attorney You are named the successor trustee and the trustmaker has just died. No doubt these are difficult times, but thankfully there are many resources to help. The following is a checklist of initial important tasks to help guide you after the funeral or memorial…

12 Point Wealth Protection Checklist For 2024 By: Phil Rarick & Jacqueline Bowden Gold, Estate & Business Law Attorneys Note: Rarick & Bowden Gold’s mission is helping all families protect their hard-earned wealth regardless of size – we provide basic estate planning for families with modest savings and advanced planning for those with substantial wealth.…

Asset Protection Checklist For Married Professionals By Phil Rarick, Esq., and Jacqueline Bowden Gold, Esq., Miami Asset Protection Attorneys If you have creditor threat, do you know what assets are easily exposed to creditors? Do you know what assets are already protected by Florida law? Take this three minute survey for a quick assessment. 1.…