180 South Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
Pembroke Pines Lawyer Areas of the Law
Pembroke Pines Wills and Trust Lawyer
Pembroke Pines Wills & Trusts Lawyer
If you were to pass away unexpectedly, would your assets go directly to your loved ones? Would there be any confusion over who gets what? What are the tax implications of how your assets are passed on? Attorney Juan Cordero Lawyers is a Pembroke Pines wills and trusts lawyer with over 100+ combined years of experience helping clients get peace of mind by knowing the answers to these and other questions pertaining to their legacy.
Wills and trusts are two different legal documents that work in tandem. A last will and testament is where estate planning should begin.
Juan Cordero Lawyers, P.A. serves both English and Spanish-speaking clients who come from as far as Miami, Hollywood, Weston, Miramar, Fort Lauderdale, and Plantation. Call us at 305.525.8957 or www.lawyerinpembrokepines.com to set up a free consultation.
Benefits of Having a Will in Florida
When a person dies without a will, their assets go into what is called intestacy. This is a process the state of Florida uses to decide who inherits what the person is leaving behind.
The law is set up for the state to make every effort to find the closest living relative(s) to inherit. But intestacy is an inherently rigid process. It doesn’t factor in close friends, associates, or organizations that a person might wish to leave something for. It doesn’t factor in the unfortunate reality that sometimes there are family members people have falling outs with. And, regardless of who inherits the assets, there is delay in distribution while the legal mechanisms of intestacy take place.
Parents whose children are still under the age of 18 have a big reason to want a will in place–they need to identify who will care for the kids if something happens. Parents who die without a will leave that decision in the hands of the court.
Finally, a will can help avoid confusion. Legal disputes over inheritances cause division among those the deceased person loved the most. That’s not what anyone wants their legacy to be. An experienced Pembroke Pines wills and trusts lawyer can write a document that minimizes the possibility of legal confusion.
Benefits of Having a Trust in Florida
Setting up a trust is the way to allow heirs to avoid probate court altogether. The client can instruct their lawyer to write the will in such a way that assets pass immediately into the trust
upon death. At this point, the trustee–someone designated by the client to oversee all assets in the trust–can handle distribution of everyone’s inheritance.
Trusts can also be a way for someone to exercise control over how their estate is managed after death. Perhaps there is an heir that the deceased loves and wants to take care of, but is also worried about their capacity to handle a large sum of money. The terms of the trust might allow for incremental distribution of an inheritance. A person may also tie inheritance from a trust to achieving important life goals, like graduation from high school or college. Milestones like getting married might be set as points for at least some part of an inheritance to kick in.
Clients who have adult children with special needs might want a trust to set up to provide their child with an income while not jeopardizing their eligibility for government benefits. Furthermore, assets in a trust are protected from creditors, ex-spouses, and plaintiffs in a lawsuit.
There are a lot of good reasons to set up a trust in different ways, all of which are ultimately aimed at giving the client peace of mind. And depending on the way the trust is set up and how it is funded, there may be tax advantages a client can gain.
Wills and trusts involve a variety of factors. Mary Jo Rivero, P.A. has the experience necessary to understand what questions to ask and how to set up a plan that will give a client peace of mind and protect their heirs.
Call our Pembroke Pines office today at 305.525.8957 or www.lawyerinpembrokepines.com to set up a free consultation. Serving both English and Spanish-speaking clients.
Pembroke Pines Lawyer Mortgage Modifications
Pembroke Pines Mortgage Loan Modifications
If the bank is threatening to foreclose on your home, don't give up hope. There is an alternative. Attorney Cordero is a Pembroke Pines mortgage loan modification lawyer with over 100+ combined years of experience working with clients to create options that may help save their home.
Juan Cordero Lawyers, P.A. serves English and Spanish-speaking clients from as far as Miami, Hollywood, Weston, Miramar, Fort Lauderdale, and Plantation, Palm Beach County, Martin and St.Lucie County. Call today at (305) 525.8957 or for a free consultation.
What Is a Mortgage Loan Modification?
Mortgage loan modifications are one of three ways the terms of a mortgage payment might be altered.
It is different from a forbearance. In a forbearance agreement, mortgage payments are suspended, but will resume. It can apply when the hardship a client is dealing with is short-term.
Loan modifications are also different from refinancing. While a refi can create more favorable terms for the borrower, it is also a process wherein the lender pays off the existing mortgage for the purpose of creating a new one. It can work when the borrower’s financial position is considered strong.
A loan modification is altered terms to the existing agreement. It does not create a new agreement, and the revised terms are good for the length of the mortgage.
Mortgage loan modifications can be ideal for people dealing with sustained financial hardship–the loss of a job is a common reason and large medical bills might be another. Any circumstance that promises to tighten the household budget for the foreseeable future might be helped with a mortgage loan modification.
The hard part can be getting the modification agreement. That’s where an attorney comes in.
How a Pembroke Pines Mortgage Loan Modification Lawyer Can Help
Banks are often reluctant to approve loan modifications. The mere presence of an attorney at a client’s side can have a psychological impact in making the bank at least take the application more seriously. Once the bank is reviewing the application, an experienced lawyer who has been through these types of negotiations before, might be able to work better terms. The new agreement can deal with everything from interest rate to principle to late fees to the term of the loan. There’s plenty of room for bargaining and a good lawyer can help clients make the most of it.
Legal counsel also ensures that paperwork will be filled out correctly. Incomplete applications are not uncommon and a sure way to be ignored by the lender. A lawyer not only takes the burden of this paperwork–and subsequent work that can come after approval of a modification–off the shoulders of the client, but they can also ensure the work is done thoroughly the first time Juan Cordero Lawyers , P.A. understands that financial hardship can come into anyone's life and will work with you to restructure your mortgage payments. The team can handle negotiations for your mortgage loan modification and offer your lender incentives to help reduce the amount of your payments.
Call the Pembroke Pines office at 305.525.8957 or to set up a free consultation.
Pembroke Pines Lawyer Probate
Pembroke Pines Probate Lawyer
Dealing with the loss of a loved one can be a painful time, marked by stress and confusion. Having to deal with the probate process to disperse the deceased’s remaining assets can add to the stress. Attorney Juan Cordero Lawyers is a Pembroke Pines probate lawyer who can help clients deal with the court-mandated issues that may arise after a loved one’s passing.
With 100+ combined years of experience, Juan Cordero Lawyers, P.A. serves clients who speak both English and Spanish. Serving Pembroke Pines, Miami, Hollywood, Weston, Miramar, Fort Lauderdale, and Plantation. Call today at (305.525.8957 for a free consultation.
What Is Probate Court?
Probate court is a step-by-step legal process to distribute a deceased person’s assets to their heirs. The process can go much more efficiently when there is a will already in place. Although please note that, contrary to a common misconception, a will by itself does not alleviate the need for probate court.
To avoid probate entirely, the deceased would have needed to have set up a trust, set up a direct beneficiary (i.e., a life insurance policy) or held joint tenancy of property–like a home that was co-owned with a spouse. Otherwise, assets need to go through probate.
How Does the Probate Process Work in Florida?
A Pembroke Pines probate lawyer can lead clients through the following steps…
- Filing the Will: This is done with the county court and includes formally notifying all heirs that the estate is now open.
- Notify Creditors: Any outstanding debts owed by the deceased will have to be paid, so long as creditors step forward. Florida law understands that the deceased’s loved ones may not be aware of all debts, so the requirement is to publish a General Notice of death in the local newspaper. Creditors are then given three months to provide proof of any debt owed to them.
- Value The Estate: During the three-month window for creditors, steps should be taken to put a firm dollar value on the estate. This includes everything from property to heirlooms to stocks to cash.
- Resolve All Debts: Once the creditor period is closed, all debts are paid. One of these debts will be to the Internal Revenue Service. After the estate has been valued, tax forms must be filed. It’s important to note that the person doing the filing can be held liable by the IRS for any errors. Putting this task in the hands of an experienced Pembroke Pines probate attorney can be a tremendous relief for heirs.
- Distribute The Estate: After debts and taxes are paid, and final paperwork filed, the heirs will receive their designated share of what is left.
We should also point out that, while not a formal step in the process, this is also a period of time when heirs (or those who did not inherit) can step forward to contest the will’s validity. The probate lawyer can represent the interests of the deceased in court.
Probate involves a lot of intensely detailed work that grieving heirs would often prefer not to deal with. That’s why we’re here has built his reputation over 26 years as a lawyer who has both great knowledge of the law and of compassion for those going through painful times.Their legal staff are ready to help.
Call our Pembroke Pines office today at 305.525.8957 or to set up a consultation.
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Customers have questions, we have answers. Feel free to call us at 305.525.8957. email us at juancordero@juancorderolawyers.com