Our Services
Estate Planning:
The Significance of Consulting with Yanitza Schoonover for Estate Planning in Southern Florida
Estate planning, particularly in urban areas like Miami and other regions of Southern Florida, extends beyond mere preparation for one’s eventual passing. It presents individuals with an opportunity to introspect on their lives, solidify their ambitions, objectives, and visions for the future. While the prospect of an initial consultation might trigger apprehension for some, the ultimate outcome of the process often leads to a profound sense of relief and accomplishment. Here are some compelling reasons why seeking counsel from Yanitza Schoonover at 305-299-7496 is essential:
– Comprehensive Asset Review: Yanitza can assist you in creating a comprehensive inventory of all your assets, encompassing real estate holdings in Miami and other Southern Florida cities, bank accounts, stocks, and various other assets. This meticulous process guarantees that all your assets are thoughtfully included in your estate plan, leaving no important details overlooked.
– Tailored Goals and Wishes: Each person possesses distinct goals and desires for themselves and their family. Yanitza can play a pivotal role in tailoring your estate plan to align with these individual aspirations, ensuring that the plan is personalized to meet your specific needs and objectives.
– Planning for the Unforeseen: In situations where you may require long-term care due to aging or a disability, particularly in cities like Miami, Yanitza can engage in discussions about potential financial options to cover such care. This proactive approach helps ensure that you and your family in Southern Florida are well-prepared and not caught off guard during a crisis, providing peace of mind in challenging times.
– Charitable Contributions: If you have a desire to support a charitable cause, Yanitza can provide guidance on how to incorporate charitable bequests into your estate plan, allowing you to allocate a portion or the entirety of your estate to your chosen charitable organization. This thoughtful planning enables you to leave a lasting legacy and make a positive impact on the causes you care about deeply.
– Avoiding Probate: If you value privacy and wish to spare your loved ones the challenges of navigating the court system in Southern Florida after your passing, Yanitza can provide expert advice on strategies to bypass probate. These strategies can help ensure a smoother transition of your assets while maintaining the confidentiality of your affairs, ultimately easing the burden on your family during a difficult time.
– Special Needs Considerations: If there’s someone with special needs in your life whom you wish to support, there are specific considerations when bequeathing assets to them. Yanitza can provide guidance on this delicate matter.
Wills in Southern Florida
Crafting a Last Will and Testament, commonly referred to as a Will, is a fundamental step in estate planning for residents of Miami and the broader Southern Florida region. This document becomes legally binding upon an individual’s passing, providing clear instructions for the distribution of assets and ensuring that the deceased’s wishes are honored. Additionally, it serves as a means to designate guardians for minor children, a critical decision that, without a Will, would be determined by the courts in Miami and other jurisdictions in Southern Florida.
Without a valid Will, an estate in Miami or elsewhere in Southern Florida is subject to the probate process as dictated by Florida law, which may not necessarily align with the deceased’s preferences. This underscores the importance for residents of Miami and Southern Florida to possess a properly drafted Will that adheres to the specific stipulations of Florida law.
Given the intricacies of estate planning in Miami and the wider Southern Florida area, it is crucial to reach out to Yanitza Schoonover at 305-299-7496. Yanitza offers expert guidance on Florida’s legal intricacies, ensuring that your Will is not only legally valid but also accurately reflects your wishes and desires.
Trusts in Southern Florida
In Miami and throughout Southern Florida, establishing a Trust is a crucial element of comprehensive estate planning. A Trust serves as a mechanism to protect assets for the “grantor” or chosen “beneficiaries” and is overseen by one or more trustees whose responsibility is to ensure the Trust operates in accordance with the grantor’s wishes. Trusts can be established during the grantor’s lifetime or after their passing, providing a flexible approach to asset distribution. For example, assets can be earmarked for specific purposes, such as education, or disbursed in regular monthly installments.
However, without a meticulously crafted and funded Trust, potential complications may arise. If not properly structured or funded, a Trust might inadvertently create challenges for an estate. In Florida, especially in vibrant areas like Miami and the broader Southern Florida region, the nuances of Trust laws can be intricate. This underscores the importance of Yanitza Schoonover’s expertise. With her deep understanding of Florida’s estate regulations, Yanitza ensures that your Trust is not only legally sound but also tailored to meet your specific needs. For expert guidance, you can contact her at 305-299-7496.
Furthermore, the field of Trust litigation and estate planning in Florida is extensive, with many law firms and legal professionals specializing in this area, highlighting the significance of Trusts. For residents of Miami and Southern Florida, consulting with an experienced attorney like Yanitza Schoonover is essential to navigate the complexities of Trusts, ensuring the protection of your assets and legacy.
Living Wills in Southern Florida
In Miami and throughout Southern Florida, a Living Will holds significant importance as it goes beyond being just a legal document; it serves as a declaration of one’s medical preferences during times when communication may not be possible. Often referred to as advanced directives or health care directives, Living Wills provide invaluable guidance to both family members and healthcare professionals. They allow individuals to specify the type of life-prolonging treatments they wish to receive or avoid, ensuring that their medical wishes are honored.
While Living Wills are crucial, it’s essential to understand that they differ from a Designation of Healthcare Surrogate, which appoints another person to make medical decisions on one’s behalf. However, both documents can include specific treatment instructions. In the dynamic setting of Miami and the broader Southern Florida region, comprehending these distinctions is of paramount importance.
Florida law provides specific guidelines for creating a Living Will, and ensuring its effectiveness and compliance with these guidelines can be intricate. Yanitza Schoonover, with her profound knowledge of Florida’s legal landscape, is highly skilled at guiding individuals through this process. She ensures that your Living Will aligns not only with your medical preferences but also with Florida’s legal requirements, offering you peace of mind in the event of medical decision-making scenarios.
Navigating the complexities of Living Wills in Florida demands a discerning legal perspective, and Yanitza’s expertise is invaluable in this domain. She ensures that your Living Will serves its intended purpose and remains legally robust. For personalized assistance in Miami and Southern Florida, don’t hesitate to contact Yanitza Schoonover at 305-299-7496.
While there is no legal mandate for having a Living Will in Florida, not having one can result in medical decisions being made by someone who may not align with the individual’s preferences. It’s essential to note that Living Wills can be modified or revoked by the individual while they are mentally capable, offering flexibility and control over their medical directives.
In conclusion, as the landscape of healthcare and estate planning continues to evolve, the importance of a properly drafted Living Will becomes increasingly paramount. For residents of Miami and Southern Florida, ensuring clarity and compliance with Florida law is essential. Yanitza Schoonover is prepared to assist in crafting a Living Will that genuinely reflects your wishes and intentions, providing you with peace of mind regarding your medical decisions.
DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA
Navigating the intricacies of a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) in Miami and throughout Southern Florida indeed demands a deep understanding of the state’s legal landscape. A DPOA is a crucial legal instrument that empowers an individual, referred to as the principal, to delegate specific responsibilities to another trusted individual, known as the agent or “attorney-in-fact.”
In Florida’s ever-evolving legal environment, the significance of a DPOA primarily lies in its durability. Unlike standard powers of attorney, a Durable Power of Attorney remains effective even if the principal encounters incapacitation. This crucial feature ensures that the agent can act in the principal’s best interests, preserving their assets and adhering to their wishes during unforeseen circumstances.
Scope and Precision: A Durable Power of Attorney allows the principal to define the extent of the agent’s powers, ranging from comprehensive financial oversight to specific tasks. The DPOA document clearly outlines this authority.
Validity and Execution: To be legally valid in Florida, a DPOA must be signed by the principal with comprehension, witnessed by two individuals, and notarized.
Agent’s Criteria: The chosen agent should be at least 18 years old, competent, and trustworthy. Selecting an agent whose values align with the principal’s ensures that decisions reflect the principal’s intentions.
Termination Factors: A DPOA can terminate upon the principal’s passing, its revocation, or based on specific conditions outlined within the document. Agents should be aware of these stipulations.
Expert Legal Guidance: The complexities surrounding DPOAs in Florida highlight the necessity of expert legal counsel. Yanitza Schoonover, with her extensive knowledge of Florida’s estate laws and her commitment to her clients in Miami and Southern Florida, ensures that your DPOA not only complies with the law but is also tailored to your unique circumstances. For personalized guidance, you can contact Yanitza at 305-299-7496.
MEDICAL HEALTH CARE SURROGATE DOCUMENTS IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA
In the vibrant cities of Miami and throughout Southern Florida, the significance of designating a health care surrogate cannot be emphasized enough. This legal document, often used in conjunction with a living will, grants authority to a selected individual to make crucial healthcare decisions on your behalf in the event of your incapacity. Florida law, particularly Chapter 765 of the Florida Statutes, lays out the criteria and procedures for appointing a health care surrogate. It underscores the requirement for the document to be in written form and for the presence of two witnesses during its signing to ensure its legality and effectiveness.
Key aspects of a Medical Health Care Surrogate Document include:
Scope and Purpose: The health care surrogate, often referred to as the “agent,” is entrusted with the authority to make healthcare decisions that either align with the principal’s expressed wishes or, in cases where specific guidance is absent, decisions that are in the best interest of the principal’s health and well-being.
Legal Requirements: The document must be signed in the presence of two witnesses, with at least one of them being neither a spouse nor a relative of the principal, to ensure its validity under Florida law.
HIPAA Considerations: Complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which protects the privacy of healthcare information, is crucial. Including a HIPAA release form along with your health care surrogate document ensures that your chosen surrogate can access all relevant health-related information.
Expert Legal Guidance: Given the intricacies surrounding Medical Health Care Surrogate Documents in Florida, seeking the counsel of an experienced attorney is paramount. Yanitza Schoonover, with her extensive knowledge of Florida’s estate and healthcare laws, guarantees that your document not only complies with legal requirements but is also tailored to your unique medical preferences. For personalized guidance in Miami and Southern Florida, you can contact Yanitza at 305-299-7496.
GUARDIANSHIP in Southern Florida
In Florida, guardianship proceedings play a vital role in appointing guardians for individuals who are deemed incapacitated and unable to manage their affairs. Prior to appointing a guardian, a court must establish the individual’s incapacity. This process commences with the filing of a Petition to Determine Incapacity. According to Florida Statute 744.3201(a), any adult can initiate this process by filing the petition in the probate court of the county where the allegedly incapacitated person resides.
The petition must be comprehensive, clearly identifying the petitioner, the individual in question, and the reasons for believing that the person requires a guardian. It should also specify the rights the individual is believed to be incapable of exercising. To prevent misuse, Florida law stipulates that if a petition is filed in bad faith, the petitioner may be held liable for attorney’s fees and other associated costs.
Guardianship can be categorized into two types: guardianship of the property, which involves managing the ward’s assets, and guardianship of the person, which relates to making significant life decisions on behalf of the ward. In certain situations, only one type of guardianship may be necessary. It is essential to comprehend the nuances and responsibilities associated with each.
Florida law places a strong emphasis on guardians being represented by an attorney. This is where Yanitza Schoonover’s expertise proves invaluable. With her profound understanding of Florida’s guardianship laws and procedures, Yanitza ensures that the guardianship process is executed with precision and care. Whether you are contemplating initiating a guardianship proceeding or require guidance on existing guardianship matters in Miami or Southern Florida, Yanitza is ready to provide expert assistance. You can reach out to her at 305-299-7496 for personalized guidance.
Guardianship Administration Proceedings in Southern Florida
Cities We Represent in Southern Florida
Yanitza Schoonover is committed to helping clients with their estate planning requirements in various cities throughout Miami and Southern Florida. Whether you reside in the vibrant heart of Miami or the tranquil surroundings of Coral Springs, Yanitza is available to offer expert guidance and assistance. While the list below highlights some of the cities she serves, her services are not limited to these areas:
- Wilton Manors
- Weston
- Westlake
- Westchester
- West Park
- West Palm Beach
- Wellington
- The Hammocks
- Tequesta
- Tamiami
- Tamarac
- Sweetwater
- Surfside
- Sunset
- Sunrise
- Sunny Isles Beach
- Southwest Ranches
- South Miami
- South Bay
- Royal Palm Beach
- Riviera Beach
- Princeton
- Pompano
- Pompano Beach
- Plantation
- Pinecrest
- Pembroke Pines
- Parkland
- Palmetto bay
- Palm Springs
- Palm Beach Gardens
- Cutler Bay
- Pahokee
- Opa-Locka
- Ocean Ridge
- Oakland Park
- North Palm Beach
- North Miami
- North Miami Beach
- North Lauderdale
- North Bay Village
- Miramar
- Cutler Bay
- Miami Springs
- Miami Shores
- Miami
- Miami Lakes
- Miami Gardens
- Miami Beach
- Medley
- Margate
- Mangonia Park
- Lighthouse Point
- Lauderhill
- Lauderdale Lakes
- Lantana
- Lake Worth
- Lake Park
- Lake Clarke Shores
- Key Biscayne
- Kendall
- Kendale Lakes
- Jupiter
- Juno Beach
- Cutler Bay
- Hollywood
- Highland Beach
- Hialeah
- Hialeah Lakes
- Hallandale Beach
- Greenacres
- Golden Beach
- Fort Lauderdale
- Fontainebleau
- Fisher Island
- Doral
- Delray Beach
- Deerfield Beach
- Davie
- Dania Beach
- Cutler Bay
- Coral Springs Cutler Bay
- Coral Gables
- Cooper City
- Coconut grove
- Coconut Creek
- Broward County
- Brickell
- Boynton Beach
- Boca Raton
- Biscayne Park
- Belle Glade
- Bay Harbor Islands
- Bal Harbour
- Aventura
