To protect yourself and your family while you’re alive – If you become incapacitated and unable to make decisions for yourself, having an estate plan in place can protect your interests and give your loved ones authority to act on your behalf.

To provide clarity – Not only does an estate plan allow you to provide clear instructions on how assets should be passed along, it can also reduce disagreements among family members.

To avoid the stress of probate – Without proper planning, your estate can take significant time and effort to resolve as it goes through the probate process. In addition, probate fees and taxes can be a burden for any size estate.

To protect your family’s privacy – In Florida, probate records are public and anyone can see who was designated as an heir in your will. At the very least, this can cause your family to be bombarded with advertisements from companies trying to sell their services. If done correctly, estate planning can protect your privacy and the privacy of your family members.

To save on taxes and pass along more wealth to your loved ones – For those who are subject to estate taxes, or who may become so in the future, a properly designed estate plan can help prevent the family from paying more in taxes than necessary.