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Blog Articles by Matthew Shapiro

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Understanding Living Wills and Healthcare Surrogates in Florida: Empowering Your Healthcare Decisions
Understanding Living Wills and Healthcare Surrogates in Florida: Empowering Your Healthcare Decisions Thu, Jun 15, 2023 Estate planning includes decisions related to healthcare. In Florida, living wills and healthcare surrogates are essential tools for ensuring that your medical wishes are honored when you cannot express them yourself. In this blog post, we will explo... Read More

The Significance of Having an Original Will and the Presumption that is Raised When an Original Will is Lost
The Significance of Having an Original Will and the Presumption that is Raised When an Original Will is Lost Mon, Apr 24, 2023 A will is a legal document that outlines how a person's assets will be distributed after their death. It is a crucial document for anyone who wants to ensure that their wishes are followed and their assets are distributed as they intended. However, t... Read More

The Rights of a Surviving Spouse: Part Three
The Rights of a Surviving Spouse: Part Three Mon, Mar 27, 2023 The third spousal right for discussion is “elective share.”  Absent a valid waiver of spousal rights, the elective share serves as a floor for inheritance. It presents a surviving husband or wife with the opportunity to make sure they receive at leas... Read More

The Rights of a Surviving Spouse: Part Two
The Rights of a Surviving Spouse: Part Two Mon, Mar 06, 2023 The second of several rights enjoyed by a surviving spouse (absent a proper, formal waiver) is that of “family allowance.”  Family allowance is the concept that the surviving spouse and certain “lineal heirs” of the decedent the are entitled to money... Read More

The Rights of a Surviving Spouse: Part One
The Rights of a Surviving Spouse: Part One Mon, Feb 06, 2023 Clients and their children are often shocked to learn that a surviving spouse has certain minimum rights to the deceased spouse’s property under Florida law.  These rights exist by virtue of marriage and can only be waived in a very particular manner... Read More

Is Silence Golden? The Case for Sharing Your Estate Plan
Is Silence Golden? The Case for Sharing Your Estate Plan Tue, Dec 06, 2022 The holidays are here.  A time for family, for friends, and for gathering around the table to feast.  But what would a gathering be without certain taboo topics?  No, not politics.  I’m talking about inheritance and estate planning.  Who is in the Wi... Read More

Using Beneficiary Designations to Avoid Probate
Using Beneficiary Designations to Avoid Probate Fri, Oct 21, 2022 When it comes to estate planning, the primary goal of most clients is to eliminate the need for probate.  Although a jack of all trades, probate is primarily a court proceeding designed to lawfully transfer certain assets previously owned by a deceas... Read More

The Intersection of Probate and Wrongful Death Claims
The Intersection of Probate and Wrongful Death Claims Mon, Jun 06, 2022 Under Florida law, a personal representative (sometimes referred to as an “executor”) has a duty to pursue a wrongful death action on behalf of the decedent’s estate and the decedent’s survivors. There are two key takeaways from this edict. Read More

The Human factor in Condo Safety
The Human factor in Condo Safety Tue, Jul 13, 2021 Following the tragic collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, substantial scrutiny will be applied to the condominium association’s board of directors, and perhaps rightfully so. But as an attorney who focuses a large portion of his practice o... Read More

Is the Gift Valid?
Is the Gift Valid? Thu, Jun 11, 2020 It is not uncommon for me to come across clients who claim that family members wrongfully received property from a loved one prior to their passing. This “gift” often contravenes provisions founds within a decedent’s Last Will and Testament. An exa... Read More

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