Asset protection planning in an estate plan has two aims: keep what you own safe from avoidable risk while you are alive, and pass it on in a way that keeps it safe for the people who receive it.
Protecting what you pass on
An inheritance left outright can be reached by an heir’s creditors, lost in an heir’s divorce, or spent quickly. An inheritance left in trust, with terms set by the person leaving it, can be protected from those outcomes while still being available to the heir. The firm drafts trusts with the level of protection and flexibility the family wants.
Florida exemptions and how you hold title
Florida protects certain assets from most creditors, including a homestead within statutory limits, property held by spouses as tenants by the entirety, and certain retirement accounts and life insurance. How an asset is titled decides whether the protection applies. The firm reviews titles and beneficiary designations as part of the plan.
Planning for an heir who needs help
For a beneficiary who is young or not ready to manage money, a trust with a chosen trustee and clear instructions is usually the answer.
Contact the office to discuss how your plan protects what you leave.