Creating Your Will
A will nominates the executor of your estate who will pay debts and distribute the property to heirs as directed. You can be as broad or detailed as you like, specifying beneficiaries, guardians for minor children, and funeral and burial arrangements.
What you include in your will may vary greatly depending on the size of your estate and what you hope to accomplish. Most people simply want a smooth probate process that transfers assets and belongings efficiently for heirs.
Your will must be submitted to the courts and go through probate proceedings. Providing detailed instructions to your executor ensures they will carry out your wishes as you intended. At Mazenko Law Firm, our Florida will lawyers explain what family members will face when you’re gone and how to help them understand your decisions.
It’s important to regularly check who your beneficiaries are on items such as annuities, life insurance policies, retirement plans, etc. The beneficiaries for these accounts are designated separately from your will.
How Our Will Attorneys Can Help You
While a will helps maintain control of assets distributed after death and ensures decisions are made according to your wishes, it won’t protect your assets from creditors or probate. A complete estate plan contains a will and other vital documents you may need while still alive, such as:
- Revocable living trusts to transfer and control assets
- A living will to define medical treatments during a health crisis and make end-of-life decisions
- An advance health care directive naming a trusted person to make medical decisions on your behalf when you are unable
- A financial power of attorney naming a trusted person to manage financial matters if you are unable
The Mazenko Law Firm can help you put the necessary documents in place, so you and your loved ones have peace of mind when navigating life’s challenges. Without a will, the state of Florida dictates how your assets are distributed and to whom, which can often lead to complications and outcomes you didn’t intend for your friends and family. We won’t let this happen.
After reviewing your financial situation and goals carefully, we determine which documents can enhance your will. These mainly deal with problems that occur while you are still alive but incapacitated due to an accident or illness. You will have the foundation for your estate plan and understand how these documents work and affect your future.
Will attorney Todd Mazenko is the owner and founder of the Mazenko Law Firm located in Mount Dora, Florida in Lake County. His law practice focuses on estate planning, including wills, trusts, and probate, and he speaks throughout central Florida on these topics.
If you need a will attorney, the experienced team at Mazenko Law Firm can help create a customized plan including wills and trusts. Subscribe to our newsletter or sign up for upcoming events where you can learn valuable estate planning information.
Contact us for a consultation today!
About Wills
Client Testimonials
Attorney Todd Mazenko was very polite and professional in explaining the will that he was to prepare for me. I would recommend his firm to anyone.
– Michael W.
A friend recommended Mazenko Law Firm to update our mother’s will and POA. We could not be more pleased with the care and service we received from Todd and his entire team.
– Ruthie H.
Frequently Asked Questions
A simple individual will in Florida typically costs between $300 and $600 as a flat fee. More complex estates involving minor children or specific instructions often range from $700 to $1,500.
If you die without a will your estate is considered intestate and Florida law decides who receives your assets through a rigid formula. This state process might give your property to distant relatives rather than the friends or family members you would have chosen.
A will does not avoid probate court because it is the document that tells the court how to distribute your assets. You may need a revocable living trust if your goal is to skip the court process entirely.
You should store your original will in a safe place and ensure your personal representative knows where it is. Florida law requires the person holding your will to deposit it with the Lake County Clerk within 10 days of learning about your passing.
A regular will handles your property after you die while a living will specifies medical treatments you want during a health crisis. These two documents serve very different purposes for your family and medical providers.
You can write your own will, but it must be signed by you and two witnesses in each other’s presence to be valid. Most DIY will templates fail to meet strict Florida formalities, which can cause the court to reject the document entirely.
Losing a spouse is a major life event that requires updating your beneficiaries and personal representative. This ensures your assets go to your chosen heirs rather than being decided by a rigid state formula.
In a blended family, a standard will may accidentally disinherit your children if assets pass entirely to a second spouse. You can use a trust to provide for your spouse while guaranteeing the remaining inheritance goes to your biological children.
1502 North Donnelly Street
Suite 106
Mount Dora, Florida 32757
Phone: (352) 565-7737
Email Our Office
