Protect Your Family and Property with a Comprehensive Estate Plan

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At Paul M. Cowan & Associates, P.A., we stress the importance of having a comprehensive and proper estate plan in place. An estate plan allows you to prepare for the future and keep you, your family, and your property protected. By speaking with our legal team of representatives, we will gladly assess your situation and help you create a plan that best reflects your specific requests. If you already have one in place, it is always important to make adjustments when life-changing events occur such as marriage, childbirth, divorce, death, or retirement. Let us assist you in securing your future and keeping your loved ones and assets under proper care.

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Components of an Estate Plan

Our attorneys have the knowledge and expertise needed to properly assist those with their estate planning matters involving the following:

 

• Wills & trusts

• Living will

• Designations of preneed guardian

• Health care surrogates

• Powers of attorney

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Together these help to make a comprehensive estate plan that reflects the specific needs of our clients.

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Whether you have an estate plan or not, it is important to speak with an attorney to discuss the best course of action. Our firm is committed to assessing your needs and reflecting them in a proper estate plan and helping you properly keep it up-to-date. We will provide you with a thorough understanding of the components involved and the legal guidance needed to achieve a variety of estate planning goals. Now is the time to take a proactive approach to secure the future for your loved ones.

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About Last Wills and Testaments

A will also referred to as a last will and testament, is a set of instructions that gets left behind to your loved ones after you pass away. This legal document keeps your family and property protected and reflects your exact instructions including, but not limited to the following:

 

• How do you want your assets distributed;

• The name of a personal representative, nominated to handle your affairs;

• The name of a trusted guardian to take care of your minor children;

• The name of a trusted individual to watch over the property of your minor children.

We can help you create a simple or complex will that does not leave your family unprotected and left with the responsibility of fighting in court for the property they are entitled to.

 

Types of Trusts in Florida

Trusts are extremely useful when it comes to protecting your assets. Our Miami probate lawyers have the knowledge and resources needed to create a trust that best suit your individual needs and effectively protects your valuable assets. At Paul M Cowan, & Associates, P.A. we can assist you in creating various types of trusts, including but not limited to:

 

• Revocable Trust: This type of trust holds your assets and allows you to manage them and take out money when needed. You are also allowed to make changes to the terms of your revocable trust as well. A successor trustee is appointed to step in and manage your assets if you become incapacitated and take over when you pass away.

 

• Irrevocable Trust: Unlike a revocable trust, you are not allowed to make changes to an irrevocable trust. When you put assets into this trust, you are removing your rights to ownership. When you pass away, the successor trustee makes sure that the assets are properly distributed to the beneficiaries.

 

Whether you want to discuss your options with an estate planning lawyer or you want to create a will or trust, our legal team can help. At Paul M Cowan & Associates, P.A. we can provide you with the resources and intimate knowledge needed to create a legal document of your choice. Our goal is to keep your family and estate protected. Let us help ease you into the process and get you started in creating your estate plan.

 

Advance Health Care Directives in Florida

Within an advanced health care directive, there are different parts involved. You are given the freedom to fill out as much of the form as you want as well as make alterations at your own discretion. Our Florida estate planning lawyers can help you with your advanced health care directives.

 

• Part One: This part includes the Florida Designation of Health Care Surrogate in which you are able to name an individual to make important health care decisions for you when you are unable to.

• Part Two: This is the living will portion of the form that specifically allows you to state your health care wishes regarding end-of-life decisions. Whether you want to continue treatment or have it discontinued, we can help you successfully incorporate your wishes into a living will.

We can help you create a simple or complex will that does not leave your family unprotected and left with the responsibility of fighting the court for the property they are entitled to.

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Our legal team of representatives can help you stay in control of your fate and create a living will that is in your best interest. This document allows you to reflect on your health care wishes even when you become unable to do so.

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Responsibilities of a Health Care Surrogate

With 50+ years of combined legal experience, our Miami estate planning lawyers can provide you with the intimate knowledge needed to effectively nominate someone as your healthcare surrogate. In doing so, you can feel at peace in knowing that if something were to happen to you, you would stay in reliable, trustworthy hands. When appointing someone as your health care surrogate, it is important to know that they will be able to make decisions on your behalf regarding, but not limited to, the following:

 

• Medical treatments

• Home health care

• Nursing home treatment;

• Life-prolonging interventions

• Other health-related directives

 

At Paul M Cowan & Associates, P.A. our legal team of South Florida probate lawyers is committed to helping you prepare for the future. By discussing your needs and speaking with someone from our firm, you can successfully appoint someone as your health care surrogate. This can help you feel safe in knowing that no matter what happens, a trusted individual will be there to keep your best interests in mind.

 

Living Wills

As part of an advance health care directive, a living will is used as a guideline for health care providers if you become incapacitated. A living will can ensure that your final wishes for continuing or withholding treatment are followed. Our South Florida probate lawyers can carefully evaluate your specific needs and express them in an effective living will. At Paul M. Cowan & Associates, P.A., we are determined to keep you protected and in control. Without a living will, you are giving the court and other individuals control of your fate.

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