Pompano Beach Attorneys
for Personal Injury, Estate Planning & Family Law

A Florida estate planning attorney reviews a client’s family, assets, beneficiary designations and goals, then recommends and prepares appropriate documents. Depending on the circumstances, those documents may include a will, trust, durable power of attorney, designation of health-care surrogate, living will and related instruments. The attorney can also explain Florida homestead, spousal-rights, incapacity and probate considerations and help coordinate how assets are titled or transferred. The appropriate plan depends on the client’s individual circumstances.

The time required to resolve a Florida personal injury claim varies substantially. Important factors include the length of medical treatment, whether liability is disputed, available insurance coverage, the severity and documentation of damages, whether a lawsuit must be filed, and the court’s schedule. Some claims resolve within months, while complex or litigated matters may take considerably longer. No attorney can guarantee a settlement date, but timely investigation and organized documentation can help prevent avoidable delays.

The cost of a Florida divorce depends on the issues involved and how much the parties disagree. Filing fees, attorney time, mediation, discovery, appraisals, experts, parenting disputes and trial preparation can all affect the total. An uncontested matter is generally less expensive than a contested case, but no responsible estimate can be given without reviewing the facts and the applicable fee arrangement. Ask the attorney which services, court costs and outside expenses are included before proceeding.

Not necessarily. Assets owned jointly with rights of survivorship, accounts with valid beneficiary or payable-on-death designations, and properly funded trust assets may pass outside probate. Assets owned solely by the deceased spouse without an effective beneficiary designation may require probate administration. Florida homestead, creditor, elective-share and family-allowance rules can affect the analysis, so the estate’s titles and beneficiary designations should be reviewed before conclusions are made.

A Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator has satisfied the training, mentorship, education and other requirements established for the applicable certification category and must comply with Florida’s mediator rules and continuing-education requirements. A mediator is a neutral facilitator and does not decide the dispute or guarantee an agreement. Charles “Trip” Bechert is certified in circuit civil and family mediation.