Fort Lauderdale Estate Planning Lawyers

Helping Preserve The Legacies Of South Florida Families

The South Florida estate planning attorneys at Saavedra-Goodwin can tell you that even a simple estate plan is beneficial for individuals of any age, regardless of their financial or family situations. All too often, we see the disastrous results when family members pass away with no estate plan in place, leaving surviving family members with stressful, expensive and difficult problems to solve. Fortunately, estate plans can be tailored specifically to meet an individual’s personal circumstances in terms of assets, family composition, taxes and debts.

Let Saavedra-Goodwin Help You Develop A Comprehensive Estate Plan

Most estate plans, no matter how simple, consist of at least four basic documents that cover the most common situations:

• Will: Sets forth the distribution of your assets and names a personal representative to administer your estate.
• Durable power of attorney: Appoints another person to act on your behalf with respect to your property if you become incapacitated.
• Living will: Allows you to choose whether you want to receive artificial life-prolonging measures if you are terminally ill, in an end-stage medical condition or in a persistent vegetative state and a physician has determined that you have no reasonable probability of recovery.
• Health care designation: Appoints another person to make health care decisions for you in the event that you are too incapacitated to provide informed consent for medical treatment and procedures.

Estate plans may include other documents, depending on your needs, including various types of trusts, guardianships and domestic partnership agreements. Only you and an experienced estate planning attorney can determine which documents are best and most appropriate for your situation. Call Saavedra-Goodwin today to arrange for a consultation and begin creating an estate plan that is designed to meet your goals.

Experienced Assistance In Administering Trusts And Estates

When a person dies and leaves behind property and assets solely in his or her name, action typically must be taken in order to distribute those assets. Regardless of whether the person had a valid will at the time of death, a personal representative will be named, either in a will or by a court, to administer the assets and debts of the estate. When a person has created a trust prior to his or her death, the trust document governs the disposition of assets and debts, but the administration of the trust takes place outside of the oversight of the court system.

Unfortunately, administering an estate is not always an easy or straightforward process, especially when family members disagree about the disposition of assets, there are debts to be paid, and the deceased has not left behind the best of records or information about the assets. By enlisting the assistance of the estate administration attorneys of Saavedra-Goodwin from the beginning of the estate administration process, you can minimize the potential for conflict and problems, and have the best chance of resolving the estate as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Efficiently Guiding You Through The Probate Process

Probate is the estate administration process that occurs in the court system following a person’s death. This process governs the disposition and distribution of property owned by the deceased at the time of his or her death. It can be overwhelming without assistance to navigate the complex requirements of the probate system, especially when in the midst of an emotional and often devastating loss.

However, we can also step in during the protracted, difficult proceedings of probate litigation. Our team of attorneys has a multifaceted approach to the complex issues arising from probate disputes, including fiduciary wrongdoing.

Contact Us Today For Honest Guidance

Call us at (954) 767-6333 or fill out our online form to get the estate planning you need. Once we have helped draft your comprehensive, individualized estate plan, our relationship with you and your family does not end. As years pass, life events occur and things change, and you may need to periodically reassess your estate plan. Events such as the birth or adoption of a child, the death of a family member and divorce or separation can trigger the need to alter your estate plan in fundamental ways. We are always glad to hear from you and continue working with you over the years so that your estate plan reflects your current circumstances and wishes should the unexpected occur.

Damaso Saavedra

Mr. Saavedra is the managing partner of the firm, which he established in 1988. Born in Havana, Cuba, Mr. Saavedra is fluent in English and Spanish. He received his B.A. in 1979 from the University of Connecticut and his J.D. in 1986 from the George Washington National Law Center. Mr. Saavedra has served as Secretary and Director for the Inter-American Businessmen Association and co-authored “An Introduction to the Settlement of Unresolved Property Claims against the Cuban Government.” Mr. Saavedra also served as Staff Assistant for Congressman William Lehman in Washington, D.C. [ ATTORNEY BIO ]