Okeechobee, FL Estate Planning Law Firms & Lawyers

Only the person who wrote the will can change it. Your mother could not change your father's will and your father could not change your mother's will. As your father passed away first, his wishes control who gets the property. Your father's estate should have been settled within a year after his death. And you should arrange to sell the house and divide the profits equally between the siblings as there is no way twelve people can agree on anything.

Most states will admit a Will written in another state to probate if the Will was valid in the other state when it was signed. Administration of a trust is governed by the law of the state where it is administered.  Other concerns (investment, distribution, etc.) are governed by the law stated in the document.  If you create a Floirda trust and later return to New York, only the law governing administration will change.  The Florida law provisions governing the trust itself will still be enforceable.

Dear Ms. Foster, Estate planning attorneys normally charge anywhere from $1,000 to $3,500, depending on what you'd like them to do.  For instance, our office handles advance directives/living wills, guardianships, trusts, various powers of attorney, and conservatorships, just to name a few.   It sounds like your mother needs a simple estate plan, but it would be best if she reaches out to an attorney who will make sure her affairs are in order. Reach out if there is anything else I can do for you. Warm regards, Paul Cain, Esq. a.paul.cain@riseuplegal.com 904-877-1010