Estate Lawyer in St. Petersburg

Document preparation and litigation

Many people avoid dealing with estate preparation. This is understandable. Preparing a will may seem like a gloomy task, and contemplating your feelings about life-prolonging medical treatments can be frightening. However, I take the fear factor out of estate law. There are basic documents that every person requires to feel secure about the future, and I can help you put them together efficiently. I also help resolve disputes among family members about estates in probate or trust. When you are ready to work with an estate lawyer, contact me, Thomas H. McGowan, P.A.—Attorney at Law in St. Petersburg.

Wills and trusts

Your will gives instructions about how you want your estate to be distributed. A trust can be used to manage your estate and avoid probate. I help you with both of these important documents.

Simple wills

You can order a simple will on the internet, but I do not recommend it. More often than not, contracts drafted for the public at large are generic documents that do not account for circumstances specific to you and your estate. You cannot be confident that a self-prepared will is going to make it through probate without major contention and unplanned expense. For a few hundred dollars, and sometimes even less, you and your heirs might save thousands.

Living trusts

I may advise you to create a living trust, where you begin to place your assets during your lifetime. Upon your death, a pour-over will can place all your remaining assets into the trust. Your trustee manages the trust and distributes your assets to your heirs in accordance with the terms of your will. This method allows your estate to avoid the time, expense, and public exposure of the probate process.

Estate litigation

Even a well-prepared estate can be subject to controversy. Disagreement among heirs is more common than you may realize. Heirs may petition to remove a trustee if they are dissatisfied with that trustee's management of the estate. I represent you in such controversies, whether you are the trustee or an heir. Often these issues can be resolved in negotiation. When that is not possible, I represent you in estate litigation.

Living wills

Florida law provides for the use of a living will. The suggested format of this document is a request that life-prolonging procedures be withheld if you—

• Have a terminal condition
• Have an end-stage condition
• Are in a persistent vegetative state

However, you should work with a lawyer to create a much more detailed living will, which outlines a variety of medical scenarios and makes clear how you would want each one to be handled. You can also designate a healthcare surrogate to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated.

Get thorough representation from a St. Petersburg estate lawyer

Get the direct answers you deserve. To schedule an appointment with a diligent estate attorney in St. Petersburg, contact the office of Thomas H. McGowan, P.A.—Attorney at Law.