Sarasota Wills & Probate Lawyer

Hardly anyone would argue against the idea that it is important to have a will, yet more than half of the adult population have not even drafted a simple will, let alone sat down with an estate planning attorney to complete a thorough review of what their estate plan should include. Estate planning does not have to be costly or time-consuming, but it is important to take the time to have a complete and thorough conversation with your estate planning attorney to make sure you and your family are properly taken care of. No matter what your needs, your situation or station in life, Suncoast Civil Law can work with you to create or revise an estate plan that meets your needs now and into the future. Our comprehensive Sarasota wills & probate lawyers provide advice and assistance in the drafting of wills & trusts and related documents, and also represent parties in probate administration and litigation as needed.

Wills & Trusts

There are many different types of wills and trusts, along with other documents such as a health care surrogate designation and durable power of attorney, which can be used in the process of estate planning. At Suncoast Civil Law, our attorneys take the time to sit down with you, listen to you and advise you on the best combination of legal documents to meet your immediate and long-term needs and goals. Estate planning is about more than just deciding what happens to your property after you are gone. Trusts and other mechanisms are also valuable asset protection tools that can help keep your vital business interests and important property safe from attack by judgment creditors arising from a debt or lawsuit. Additionally, health care surrogates and powers of attorney can help ensure that your healthcare decisions will be made by persons you know and trust, in the event you ever become unable to make these decisions for yourself. Our estate planning attorneys are well-versed and capable of addressing all of these matters in your estate plan, as well as advise you on important estate tax planning issues that other attorneys may miss.

Probate

Probate is the court-supervised process of giving effect to the terms of a will, disposing of all property that is not addressed outside of probate through trusts and other documents, settling disputes and closing out the estate of the deceased. There are numerous duties and burdens involved in probate administration which fall upon the estate’s administrator or personal representative, who is often a close relative without experience or expertise in probate matters. Mistakes can be costly in terms of the value of property and the time it takes to deliver inheritances to the heirs and beneficiaries of the estate. We provide the level of assistance needed to handle all probate tasks expertly and efficiently, so that heirs and beneficiaries can receive their full inheritance as soon as possible.

As experienced and aggressive courtroom lawyers, our team is also equipped to handle any probate litigation that may arise in the course of the probate or estate administration. In addition to will contests, challenges to the validity of a trust, and actions to remove a trustee, we can represent the estate in any actions brought by possible creditors or others alleging a claim against the estate. Our litigators work to resolve any matter quickly and in our client’s best interests.

Call Suncoast Civil Law for Help with Sarasota Wills, Trusts & Probate Matters

If you would like to talk with a Sarasota wills & probate lawyer about creating or updating your estate plan, or if you need help with a Florida probate matter, call Suncoast Civil Law in Sarasota at 941-366-1800 for a free consultation.