WILLS, TRUSTS & ESTATE PLANNING
Estate Planning is the process of getting your affairs in order to make things easier for your loved ones. It requires a blend of finesse, strategic planning, and empathy. We view an Estate Plan as the opportunity to create a legacy that can protect your assets, avoid probate, and minimize taxes for you and your heirs.
The Kuhns Law Firm offers a variety of fixed fee packages including, basic wills, joint family trusts, family trusts, marital trusts and legacy trust to protect your heirs. All Estate Planning packages include: Powers of Attorney (POA), Living Wills and Health Care Documents. We frequently help families prepare their affairs while being mindful of second-marriages, uncommon children, blended families and unique intra-family relationships. Upon request, we serve as Florida Co-Counsel for out-of-state attorneys preparing estate plans with Florida assets. Setting up an estate plan doesn't have to be difficult; that's why we offer a complimentary consultation and various fixed fee packages.
PROBATE
Probate is the legal procedure in which the probate court assumes jurisdiction over the assets of someone who has died. The process is fairly straight forward. The court will appoint a Personal Representative, who will first collect the decedents debts, supervise the payment of debts and taxes, and, finally, oversee the distribution of the remaining assets to the persons named in the will, or to the heirs if there is no will. Each probate is unique, deserves efficiency, and requires customized attention during the legal process. Florida has three different types of probate, Summary Administration, Formal Administration, and Ancillary Administration. Our firm will help you select the most appropriate procedure for your case. We also understand that Probate can be emotional, and we treat each case with the sensitivity and compassion that we would want for our own families.
TRUST ADMINISTRATION
Our firm has experience with guiding Successor Trustees with Florida Trust Administration. If the decedent had a properly drafted and funded Trust, Probate is not required.
As a Successor Trustee, there are several duties that require your attention. These include, establishing an Administrative Trust, notifying trust beneficiaries, notifying the IRS of the Trust Administration and filing all associated tax returns, gathering, investing and managing trust assets, notifying potential creditors of the decedent's death, and distributing income and/or assets to the beneficiaries in compliance with the trust. Our firm will guide you through the various steps, deadlines and simplify the complexities of Trust Administration unique to your case, even if our office did not draft the original trust.
BUSINESS LAW & STRATEGY
The startup and management of a small business is an evolving legal frontier. We take a holistic approach, that includes business law and tax law consulting. We set up various business including Corporations, LLCs, C-Corporations, S-Corporations, and Partnerships. We partner with your team of business advisors, including your CPA and Accountant to help you save money. We’ve steered business in various industries including consulting, construction, law, healthcare, and marketing. We are familiar with the relevant local, state, and federal tax laws to keep your small business compliant with the relevant tax and regulatory agencies.
The firm's real estate practice is narrowly focused and serves clients in non-adversarial matters where all parties are in agreement. Many of our real estate matters, including clear title filings, are connected to a probate administration to remove a decedent's name from real property titles. We do not handle real estate litigation, quiet title, conduct real estate closings, or issue title insurance.
We represent select buyers and sellers during the purchase or sale of residential and commercial real estate, including preparation of contracts, notes, mortgages and seller financing documents.
For individuals with an existing estate plan, including out-of-state residents and snowbirds, we implement strategies to avoid probate for your Florida real estate, vacation homes, rental property, or timeshares.
We are familiar with the relevant cross-border tax laws impacting international property owners and coordinate with tax accountants to mitigate the impact of US income, capital gains, estate, inheritance, and death taxes for foreign sellers and decedents.
REAL ESTATE LAW
Tax law overlaps with every practice area in our firm. Our firm leverages its knowledge of Federal and State tax laws to add additional value to our clients and help them save their
hard-earned money.