Shawn C Newman

Few activities are more important, yet more intimidating, than planning for your own long-term security and the continued well-being of your loved ones. The complexities of estate laws can lead many people to put off this crucial task until it’s too late, but with competent legal help you can lay a solid foundation for protecting your life and preserving your future.

The primary objective in crafting an estate plan is to protect your lifetime assets, safeguard your wealth, and carefully plan to provide for your loved ones according to your wishes. My Firm, located in Fort Lauderdale, provides service to Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties in Southern Florida. I offer prompt personal service to individuals, life partners, traditional families, and small business owners in all aspects of estate planning and wealth preservation.

As an experienced Ft. Lauderdale Florida Estate Planning Attorney, I provide solid legal guidance in the following practice areas:

• Estate Planning
• Elder Law
• Wills
• Living Wills
• Trusts
• Probate Administration
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Medical Durable Power of  Attorney (including HIPPA requirements)
• Designation of Health Care Surrogates
• Guardianships
• Designation of Pre-Need Guardians
• Asset Protection
• Tax Planning
• Cohabitation Agreements
• Domestic Partnership Agreements

Having earned a Juris Doctorate of Law (J.D.) and an Executive Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.), I have the requisite knowledge and experience to advise you on what alternatives will work best to accomplish your objectives.

I will work with you on a one-on-one basis to design an efficient and effective estate plan and will help you accomplish all of your goals in the most cost-efficient manner. I am accessible to my clients and maintain open communications with each client throughout the estate planning process. I am committed to prompt and professional service, and will work with you to maintain and update your estate plan as your life and legacy needs change.

Keep in mind that one size does not fit all when it comes to estate planning. To meet your specific goals, you should be represented by an estate planning lawyer who will be sensitive to your objectives and who is experienced in trusts, estates, taxation, contested wills, probate and guardianship cases. As a skilled Ft. Lauderdale Estate Planning Attorney, I utilize numerous tools to help clients meet their unique financial goals, including:

• Wills, sometimes called a Last Will and Testament, to transfer property you hold in your name to the person(s) and/or organization(s) you want to receive it. A Will also typically names someone you select to be your Personal Representative (Executor) to carry out your instructions and names a Guardian if you have minor children. A Will only becomes effective upon your death, and after it is admitted to probate.
  
  
• Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care or Health Care Proxy appoints a person you designate to make decisions regarding your health care treatment in the event that you are unable to provide informed consent.
  
  
• Living Will or Directive to Physicians is an advance directive which gives doctors and hospitals your instructions regarding the nature and extent of the care you want should you suffer permanent incapacity, such as an irreversible coma.
  
  
• Durable Powers of Attorney for Property appoints a person you designate to act for you and handle financial matters should you be unable or perhaps unavailable to do so.
  
  
• Living Trust can be used to hold legal title to and provide a mechanism to manage your property. You can select a person or persons – often even yourself – as the Trustee(s) to carry out the instructions in the Trust and name one or more Successor Trustees. Unlike a Will, a Trust usually becomes effective immediately, continues in force during your lifetime even in the event of your incapacity, and continues after your death. Most Trusts are revocable which allows the person who creates the Trust to make future changes, modifications and even to terminate it. Trusts also help you avoid or minimize the expenses, delays and publicity of probate.
  
  
• Family Limited Partnership can be used to own and manage your property, in a similar manner to a Trust, but allowing additional tax planning techniques to be employed. Family Limited Partnerships are typically used for those who have large estates and thus have a need for specialized estate planning in order to minimize taxes as well as provide asset protection.

With new laws being passed on a regular basis, the guidance of an experienced Ft. Lauderdale Estate Planning Attorney is critical in assuring that your unique estate planning goals are understood and carried out. Proper estate planning can ensure that your invaluable legacy is not wasted, and that loved ones are cared for according to your wishes. Avoiding probate costs, expensive court proceedings and unnecessary taxes are important elements in preserving the integrity of your estate.

If you or someone you know in Florida needs the assistance of an experienced Ft. Lauderdale Estate Planning Attorney, call Shawn Newman today at ,  on this site to schedule your free consultation.