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Welcome to Bullard Law:
Your Trusted Estate Planning Attorneys in Orlando, Florida

WHEN REPRESENTATION MATTERS
Bullard Law is Your Advocate

Hurry! Start planning today for peace of mind tomorrow.

Free Downloadable Will Guide!

Key Questions to Ask Yourself Before Securing Your Will

    I understand that this free resource is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.

    By providing your details to get this free resource, you agree to receive marketing communications from Bullard Law.

    Our wills and estate planning attorneys help you secure your legacy...

    …with our will and estate planning services, ensuring your wishes are honored and your loved ones are secure.

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    Without a Comprehensive Will & Estate Plan, You Risk Compromising Your Family’s Future

    We’re talking about assets, inheritances, healthcare directives…even guardianship designations. Many families don’t prioritize their estate planning until it becomes urgent.

    That’s right — just because you’ve made informal arrangements or expressed wishes verbally, it doesn’t mean your family is legally protected.

    If you don’t establish a robust estate plan, you could inadvertently leave your loved ones vulnerable to legal disputes and financial uncertainties. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    When you reach out to us, anticipate a smooth and efficient journey from your first inquiry to the finalization of your estate plan.

    We understand the importance of your time and the urgency often associated with estate planning. Our team is dedicated to promptly addressing your needs and swiftly navigating through the necessary steps to complete your plan.

    With our expertise and commitment to client satisfaction, you can trust that we prioritize delivering results within a reasonable timeframe without sacrificing the quality of our service. Your peace of mind is our top priority. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    Estate Planning Florida Bullard Law Cover
    Estate Planning Florida Bullard Law Cover

    With our expertise and knowledge, we can help you develop a customized estate plan tailored to your specific needs, maximizing asset protection and minimizing taxes through strategic planning. We can also help you avoid probate, ensuring efficient asset transfer and family harmony by preventing disputes among beneficiaries.

    For complex estates, we provide invaluable guidance in managing intricate financial structures and business interests. Additionally, we assist in articulating healthcare directives, offering peace of mind knowing that your affairs are in order and your loved ones will be cared for according to your wishes. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    Already have an Estate Plan?

    We work with you updating and maintaining your plan to adapt to evolving life circumstances and legal regulations. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    Join the Hundreds of Individuals Protecting Their Legacies with Bullard Law

    At Bullard Law, we’re all about helping individuals and their families secure a bright future and protect the things that matter most. Our team is here to make estate planning easy and personalized just for you. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    Book Your Free Call Now >>>

    Hurry! Start planning today for peace of mind tomorrow.

    35+ 5-Star Google Reviews
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    "Honest, dependable and trustworthy law firm. I highly recommend."
    "Knowledge and communication are top notch at Bullard Law. I will definitely recommend them to all my friends and family."
    Estate Planning Florida Bullard Law Cover
    Estate Planning Florida Bullard Law Cover
    "Thanks to Bullard Law, I have recovered my peace of mind and can now concentrate in other personal and professional priorities. Thank you Bullard Team."

    Our Service

    Our dedicated team specializes in comprehensive estate planning services designed to meet the diverse needs of our clients. From crafting personalized wills and trusts to navigating complex tax matters and providing compassionate elder care support, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

    Complex Will Drafting

    Crafting detailed and legally sound wills to facilitate asset distribution. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    Power of Attorney and Healthcare Directives

    Empower your future with our expertise in drafting comprehensive powers of attorney for financial matters and assisting in creating advance healthcare directives to specify your medical preferences, ensuring your wishes are legally protected and respected. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    Probate Administration

    Overseeing and managing the probate process to ensure adherence to legal requirements and timely asset distribution. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    Trust Formation and Administration

    Establishing and managing various trusts to safeguard and distribute assets effectively. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    Asset Protection

    Implementing legal structures and strategies to shield assets from creditors and mitigate risks. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    Trust Formation

    Secure your legacy with our comprehensive trust formation service, including specialized provisions for pet trusts, charitable giving, and asset protection, ensuring your estate planning needs are met with care and foresight. Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530.

    Preserve Your Legacy with Bullard Law

    Securing your estate plan is not just about managing assets; it’s about ensuring that your legacy is protected and your loved ones are cared for according to your wishes. By taking proactive steps now, you can provide clarity and peace of mind for yourself and your family in the future.

    Book Your Free Call Now >>>

    Hurry! Start planning today for peace of mind tomorrow.

    Choose Your Plan

    Our attorney will work with you to create a plan that is best to meet your goals.  Estate plans can be will-based or trust-based. Our will-based plans begin at $1,500 per person and trust based plans begin at $4,000. These include documents for incapacity such as powers of attorney. Our attorney will use time during your strategy session to determine which type of plan is recommended.

    Flat-Fee Will & Estate Planning Packages

    Free Initial Consultation

    Your journey towards peace of mind begins with a conversation. Book your free 15-minute initial consultation today to discuss your needs, goals, and how our team can help you achieve them. This consultation serves as an opportunity for both the client and the firm to evaluate if we’re the right fit for each other.

    Will & Estate Planning Discovery Call
    FREE15 minutes
    Prefer to create your own DIY Will?
    Craft your own legally binding will

    Craft your own legally binding will with our DIY Will Package for Florida. Our user-friendly template and detailed instructions empower you to create a personalized will conveniently from home. While we recommend working with our lawyers directly, this affordable solution ensures that everyone, no matter their budget, can safeguard their assets and loved ones. As your trusted law firm, we offer this option for those seeking budget-friendly alternatives. Start shaping your legacy today with peace of mind, backed by our experience and knowledge.

    DIY Will Package
    $350Includes Will Template & Signing Instructions
    What To Expect

    We’re excited about the opportunity to take you through the essential process of will and estate planning. Here’s a glimpse into what lies ahead:

    Step 1: Schedule Your Initial Call

    We kindly invite you to schedule your initial call, either by phone or through our website. Prepare to revisit and expand upon the details you shared during booking.

    Step 2: Have Your 15-Minute Initial Call

    During this call with our intake specialist, we aim to understand your needs and goals better. Your insights will help us determine if we’re the right fit for each other. Please remember, at this stage, we’re unable to offer legal advice.

    Step 3: Estate Planning Strategy Session

    If both parties believe there’s a potential for collaboration, we’ll proceed to a 45-minute strategy session with our attorney, which incurs a fee of $375. During this session, we’ll delve deeper into your situation and offer tailored recommendations. If we believe another professional could better assist you, we’ll provide appropriate referrals.

    Step 4: It's A Match!

    If you choose to move forward with us, we’ll guide you through the process of signing our representation agreement and settling the invoice. This formalizes our partnership and marks the beginning of our collaboration.

    Step 5: Commencement of Services

    We’ll begin preparing the necessary legal documents for your chosen plan, ensuring they’re tailored to your specific needs and comply with state laws.

    Step 6: Execution of Documents

    Meet with the attorney in our office or with our mobile-signing team to sign the finalized documents, ensuring all legal requirements are met.

    Step 7: Regular Review and Updates

    Don’t forget to periodically review and update your estate plan to reflect any changes in your circumstances or the law.

    We’re committed to providing you with personalized attention and support throughout the will and estate planning process. If you have any questions or would like to schedule your initial call, don’t hesitate to reach out.

    We look forward to assisting you in securing your legacy and protecting your loved ones.

    Schedule Initial Consultation

    Frequently asked questions

    Here, we address common questions to help you understand and navigate the process.

    What is Estate Planning and why do I need a will & estate plan?

    Estate planning is the process by which an individual or a family anticipates and arranges for the transfer of their assets in the event of their death. An estate plan’s goal is to preserve the highest amount of wealth possible for the designated beneficiaries and flexibility for the individual during that individual’s life.

    Effective estate planning will allow you to avoid the havoc and wasted assets of an unplanned estate, provide you with a sense of security, and provide a measure of personal well-being to your loved ones.

    Estate planning is for everyone, regardless of factors like net worth, age or marital status. There are only benefits to be gained by having an estate plan. Without an estate plan, you run the risk of having the state or a judge determine who should inherit from you. This is a long, costly process that can be avoided with estate planning.

    What is estate planning, and why is it important?

    Estate planning involves making arrangements for the management and distribution of your assets and affairs after your passing or in the event of incapacity. It’s crucial for ensuring that your wishes are carried out, minimizing tax liabilities, and protecting your loved ones from legal complications.

    What does your Family Plan (Nuts & Bolts) package include?

    Our Family Plan Package includes: a Last Will and Testament, Financial Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, HIPAA Medical Release, Long and Short-Term Care Guardians and Gifts of Personal Property. We offer Estate Planning packages to both individuals and married couples.

    • A Last Will and Testament, more commonly referred to as a “ Will”, is a legal document that communicates your final wishes to the judge about who should receive your assets at their death (the beneficiaries) and who should be in charge of that process (the personal representative).
    • A Financial Power of Attorney designates one or more agents to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf.
    • A Health Care Proxy appoints one or more agents to make medical decisions for you if you are incapacitated and unable to do so.
    • A Living Will is a written statement detailing your wishes regarding life-prolonging procedures under specific circumstances.
    • The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, is a law that protects the confidentiality of medical records and medical information. Our HIPAA Release allows you to one or more agents to access such medical records and information on your behalf, and extends your lifetime by two years in case your records need to be accessed after death. This is important for medical malpractice and wrongful death claims.

    What does your Trust Plan (Probate Protection) package include?

    Our Trust Plan package includes a Revocable Living Trust, Financial Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, Living Will, HIPAA Medical Release, Long and Short-Term Guardian, Gifts of Personal Property and a Pour-Over Will.

    We describe a trust like a basket. Anything you put into the basket can be picked up and carried through time. Inside the basket is a set of instructions to your trustee saying who should get the items in the basket and how. This basket avoids the courts and can begin administration immediately at your passing, or as early as you designate in the trust document.

    Technically speaking, a trust is a legal entitlement in property which is held in a fiduciary relationship by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of one or more persons (the beneficiary or beneficiaries).

    Furthermore, a trust is a type of property ownership. The individual who has the trust set up is called the “grantor” or the “settlor.” The “legal” owner of the trust property is the trustee, and his name is on any document of title. The person who receives the benefits of ownership, like the right to receive the earnings from the trust’s investments, is the beneficiary.

    Are there different kinds of trusts?

    There are several different kinds of trusts. Many revocable trusts aim at avoiding probate at death such as a Family Trust, Living Trust, and Intervivios Trust. These types of trusts are all set up and financed while the grantor is still alive and is revocable. The grantor oftentimes names his or her self as both trustee and beneficiary of these types of trusts. A Testamentary Trust, by comparison, is a trust which takes effect under the terms of a Will, after the grantor has passed. There are many types of irrevocable trusts for asset protection such as a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT), Veteran’s Asset Protection Trust (VAPT), Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) and a few singularly focused trusts such as a Gun Trust which is created to own certain firearms or Pet Trust that may provide for pets and their care at your passing.

    Why should I create a trust?

    Unlike a Last Will & Testament, a trust has the advantage of avoiding probate. Probate is a costly and lengthy legal procedure in which a Judge oversees the transfer of assets.

    When an estate is transferred through a Will, the probate court has to validate the Will before the assets are transferred. The probate process can take years. In contract, assets held in a trust are not required to go through probate. While we feel avoiding probate is an attractive attribute of a trust, here are a few other benefits:

    • A Living Trust allows your assets to be distributed to your beneficiaries as rapidly as your trust agreement instructs and the taxing authorities permit rather than being required to wait on a judge and statutory time frames as required by probate laws.
    •  The costliness of probate is completely avoided for all assets that are held in your living trust. Probate can cost 3% or more of the value of the assets going through probate.
    • Since a Living Trust is a private agreement, its terms are not made public at your death like the terms of a Will are when it is entered into probate. Only your trustee and beneficiaries are made aware of your assets and intentions.

    Who can benefit from a trust?

    Anyone can benefit from a trust. Many people mistakenly believe that trusts are only for the wealthy. This is simply not true. A trust can avoid the probate process as we have mentioned above. However, the benefits do not stop there. Beneficiaries can be protected from themselves in a trust. For example, you can set up your trust to prevent distribution to a beneficiary if it would disqualify them from public benefits, if one is facing a divorce, is a minor child or simply is not good at managing money. In the instance of asset protection trusts, the person setting up the trust may also benefit from creditor protection and/or be able to qualify for public benefits that would be impossible without the trust (such as a MAPT or VAPT).

    What happens to our family trust in the event of death or divorce?

    This all depends on the language in your trust agreement, the types of assets you funded your trust with, and any agreements that may exist between you and your spouse. In the event of death, your trust agreement will designate who should take over as the successor trustee along with when and how assets should be distributed.

     

    What happens if I don't have an estate plan?

    Without an estate plan, your assets may be distributed according to state laws through a process called intestate succession, which may not align with your wishes. Additionally, without clear instructions, your loved ones may face delays, disputes, and unnecessary expenses during the probate process.

    Do I need an estate plan if I don't have significant assets?

    Yes, estate planning is important for everyone, regardless of the size of your estate. Even if you don’t have substantial assets, an estate plan can help ensure that your wishes regarding healthcare decisions, guardianship of minor children, and asset distribution are honored.

    What documents are typically included in an estate plan?

    Common documents in an estate plan include a will, which specifies how your assets will be distributed, and powers of attorney for financial and healthcare matters. Trusts may also be included to manage and protect assets during your lifetime and after your passing.

    Where are my signed original Estate Planning documents kept?

    After we have set up your signed Estate Planning documents, we organize them in a personal Estate Planning binder for you.

    In your binder are all of your original Estate Planning documents, along with a USB containing a copy of the signed documents.

    What happens if someone’s address/phone numbers change?

    If someone’s address or phone numbers change, we recommend that you contact us immediately so that we can update our records. We can update your documents to reflect the new addresses or numbers. However, if your agent listed in one or more of your documents has moved out of town or out of state, you may want to update the documents to appoint someone local depending on your circumstances.

    Should I give copies of my Will and other estate planning documents to my children and to the trustee/personal representative of my estate?

    It is not a requirement, but we recommend you either give copies to your children, let them know where your documents are located, or simply give them our business card and let them know that if anything happens to you, they should contact us.

    When should I update my estate plan?

    Estate Plans should not be considered permanent. Desires and conditions may change. Estate plans should be reviewed at least every three to five years or if any important change in your life demands instantaneous review. Some of these changes might be:

    •  The birth, divorce, marriage, disability or death of you or a beneficiary
    •  A large increase or decrease of your or a beneficiary’s net worth
    •  You move to another state
    •  There is a change in tax law
    •  There is a substantial change in the types of assets you own
    •  You’ve purchased or sold a business or real property

    How can I get in touch with your will and estate planning attorney Orlando?

    Contact your will and estate planning attorney Orlando today on 407-648-9530, or email admin@bullard-law.com or visit our contact page to book an appointment.

    Ready to create or update your Will & Estate Plan?