Fort Myers Estate Planning Lawyer

Safeguarding Your Future in Florida​

At Powell, Jackman, Stevens & Ricciardi, P.A., each of our attorneys operates in their own area of legal specialty. This way, you get a specialized and trusted professional working on your case from start to finish. Attorney Richard M. Ricciardi, Jr. of Your Advocates is our go-to estate planning representative. He can help you choose an estate plan which works for you and your family. Whether this is a will package, trust document, or other alternative, Mr. Ricciardi will work with you to assess your goals and put the necessary legal tools in place to achieve them.

What Is the Difference Between a Will and Estate Planning?

While both a will and an estate plan provide your loved ones with instructions about handling your property after your death, estate planning goes beyond that to outline your decisions about your health, finances, and more, even while you’re living.

Estate plans contain comprehensive documents that include:

• Durable power of attorney - authorization of an agent to operate your finances
• Healthcare power of attorney - authorization of someone chosen on your behalf to make medical decisions if you are incapacitated or incapable of communicating
• Advanced directive - instructions regarding the prolonging of life and the treatments associated with it

A will can specifically delegate where your assets will go upon your death, who will serve as guardian of your children (if applicable), and who is named executor. Executors of wills are responsible for the distribution of assets and to ensure they are transferred successfully to charities or inheritors.

What Is the Main Purpose of Estate Planning?

The purpose of estate planning is to arrange for the transfer of one's property after death via a will, a trust, or intestacy laws. Both real property (real estate, including houses and investment properties) and personal property (all other property, including bank accounts, jewelry and vehicles) are considered part of the estate.

Another primary reason to have an extensive estate plan is to avoid probate. Probate is long, costly, and typically out of your control. If you take probate to court, the process can take years to complete, largely depending on how congested the courts in your county are.

When Should You Start Estate Planning?

It is always a good time to start planning your estate, even if you don’t necessarily have a significant amount of assets. If something happens to you, decisions will need to be made about your bank account, your home/apartment, your personal belongings, and your life insurance policies. Estate planning now could prevent legal issues for your family later.

We encourage you to contact our Fort Myers estate planning attorney to learn more. Discover how you can protect your legacy: Request your free initial consultation.

Estate Planning Services We Offer

We can help with the following areas of estate planning including but not limited to:

• Wills
• Trusts (drafting and maintaining)
• Powers of Attorney
• Health Care Directives
• Living Wills
• Amendments to Wills and Trust
• Document Review for New Florida Residents
• Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples
• Asset Protection
• Business Succession Planning
• Buy/Sell Business Agreements
• Personal Representative / Trustee Representation
• Real Estate Transfers
• Deed Preparation
• Powers of Attorney
• Hire an estate planning professional to achieve peace of mind.

There are an abundance of decisions involved in estate planning. You may need to decide which type of trust is best for your family, which family members you want to inherit your possessions, who to appoint as personal representative of your estate, or how to best distribute your assets without leaving your heirs with a heavy tax burden.

Mr. Ricciardi can walk you through this intricate process and help you make decisions that will benefit your family and help you leave the legacy you desire. After all of your hard work required to build up an estate that you can leave to your family, you don't want things to go awry because of poor planning. Hire a professional you can trust! Please do not hesitate to reach our Fort Myers estate planning lawyer.

Why Choose our Fort Myers Estate Planning Attorney?

• More than seven decades of collective legal experience
• Dedicated, personalized, caring service
• One-on-one attention from your estate planning lawyer at every step
• Low Flat Fees Available for all Estate Planning
• Customized legal strategies for your unique situation
• Special discounts for AARP Members

Mr. Ricciardi is well-versed in this legal field, not only from real world experience, but also from focused training in both estate planning and elder law after graduating from law school. He understands estate planning in detail, which is why he can help clients to create simple or more sophisticated plans to provide for one’s family and achieve control of one’s estate. He can also effectively explain these legal tools to clients, helping them understand this undertaking.

Contact Your Advocates today or call (239) 970-6844 to set up a free estate planning consultation.