Author Archives: Jay Butchko
When Inheritance Disputes Turn One Spouse Against the Other
You have probably heard divorced people say that parenthood contributed to the breakdown of their marriage. Maybe someone you know grew to resent her husband after being stuck doing the lion’s share of housework and childcare, even though both spouses worked full-time. Perhaps someone else felt like he was his wife’s lowest priority, behind… Read More »
Domicile: Your Legal Home
The stereotype about residents of Florida not originally being from here largely holds true for the senior age group. If you live in a retirement community in Florida, there is a good chance that most of your neighbors grew up somewhere besides Florida and only moved here as adults, even if they were still… Read More »
The Family Allowance Protects Children Against Having Their Lives Put on Hold by Lengthy Probate Disputes
In family law, you often hear that children are the innocent victims of divorce battles. It is incredibly stressful for children to know that their parents are in court, arguing about whether the children will have to move out of their current home and whether or not they are allowed to spend Christmas with… Read More »
How Wicked Does a Stepmother Have to Be for the Court to Deny Her an Elective Share of Her Husband’s Estate?
In Florida, you have the right to leave your whole estate or any portion of it to anyone you choose. For the most part, as long as your will is valid, the family members who receive less inheritance money than they had hoped have no choice but to accept your decision. One exception is… Read More »
How to Ensure That Your Estate Plan Does Not Worsen the Rift Between Your Children
You know you are an adult when the only thing you want for your birthday is for your children to go the whole day without fighting. As painful as it is to watch childhood sibling conflicts, they usually resolve when the children grow up, or at least, they become asymptomatic. Even if your children… Read More »
Decluttering Your House Could Be the Best Thing You Can Do for Your Estate Plan
If you have made an appointment for an initial consultation with an estate planning lawyer, you are probably expecting to hear about estate taxes, revocable trusts, and powers of attorney. You would probably be very surprised if the lawyer advised you to go home and declutter your house. Isn’t decluttering just for people in… Read More »
Should You Be Happy That Your Elderly Parent Has a New Friend, or Should You Worry About Undue Influence?
The negative effects of loneliness on elderly people’s physical and mental health are truly scary. For this reason, you have probably made sure to call your parents more often than you did before the COVID-19 if they live in Florida and you live in another state. If you have an elderly parent who lives… Read More »
Estate Planning for Blended Families
Step-family drama comes in many varieties. When you were young, you may have thought that the most challenging family relationship you would ever navigate would be your relationship with your spouse’s parents, but things get even more complicated when you marry someone who already has children from a previous marriage. On an emotional level,… Read More »
Estate Planning Resolutions for 2021
2020 has been a year unlike any other, to say the least. If you have spent most of this year holed up at home, only seeing your family and friends on video chat, it can be hard to believe that the pandemic has had its hold on Florida for eight months. There are only… Read More »
Talking to Your Family About Your Estate Plan During the COVID-19 Pandemic
If you think that planning to get together with your family during the holidays is stressful, the usual holiday stress has nothing on the conflicts and hurt feelings that can arise when deciding to travel, or deciding not to travel, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you are itching to see your grandchildren open their… Read More »
