Florida Trusts and Estates Attorney

Fort Pierce firm helps you build an effective plan
With 40 years of experience, Richard D. Sneed, Jr., P.A. help you with all aspects of your trusts and estates issues, including:

  • Estate planning
  • Estate taxes
  • Executorship duties
  • Guardianship
  • Living wills
  • Living trusts
  • Probate
  • Probate and will disputes
  • Wills drafting and execution

Estate planning
You worked hard to accumulate your assets, and you have the right to dispose of them as you see fit. When devising an estate plan, we advise you on how to protect your children, support your loved ones and advance important causes through charitable gifts. After detailed analysis of your estate, we devise a plan to effectively transfer your assets, minimize taxes, establish guardianship for your children, care for your pets, support philanthropic causes and protect your loved ones. We draft a will that reflects your desires and we also establish living trusts if they are appropriate to your estate planning goals.

Probate
After you have lost a loved one, dealing with the complicated probate process can add to the burden. We take charge of the probate process and minimize this weight.

We assist executors in all steps of the complex process of probating a will in Florida probate court, including:

  • Creating a plan of action to probate the estate fairly and expeditiously
  • Filing the will with the Florida probate court
  • Closing and opening bank accounts
  • Transferring assets from the deceased to the estate
  • Paying taxes and other debts
  • Locating beneficiaries
  • Hiring professional experts when necessary

Probate disputes
A probate dispute aggravates the stress and pain of your emotional loss. When probate disputes arise, we are prepared to challenge an ambiguously or incorrectly executed will or defend your rights against disgruntled beneficiaries. We use our mediation skills to minimize the hostilities between family members that often arise during the emotionally charged process. We are equally ready to fight assertively for your beneficiary rights in Florida probate court.

Will drafting
A will is essential at every stage of your life, providing you with the opportunity to distribute your property, establish care for your children and otherwise express your wishes for what will happen upon your death. A will is necessary if you intend to leave property to someone who is not your blood relative, e.g., a domestic partner, a friend or a charity. If you die without a will, the court determines how your property is distributed, who cares for your children and even what happens to your beloved pet — and the decisions the court makes might not reflect your desires.

Changing your will
As your life evolves, so may your estate plan. You may need to update your will throughout your life. Our law firm drafts valid codicils that address changes in your financial situation, marital status, parenthood status, philanthropic interests and general lifestyle decisions.

Appointing a guardian
Your will allows you to make decisions about the future care of your minor children. This is especially crucial if you are a single parent or in the event that both parents die in a common incident. If you have not named a guardian for your children, the court appoints one, who may make parental decisions contrary to what you would have wanted. In your will, you can also make arrangements for the care of your pets, naming a guardian to take responsibility for them.

Creating an optimal estate plan
Drafting an effective will requires more than filling in a form. If a court determines that your will is invalid, your desires will not be honored upon your death. We meticulously draft your will and consider all aspects of your estate plan. We review your family arrangements, financial situation and philosophical goals to guide you in making the best estate planning decisions and draft your will accordingly.

Contact a hardworking estate planning lawyer at Richard D. Sneed, Jr., P.A.
Call Richard D. Sneed, Jr., P.A., serving clients throughout Florida, at 772-465-2330 or contact us online.