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Top New Year Resolutions for Protecting Your Florida Legacy

Writer's picture: Worley Elder LawWorley Elder Law


Have you updated your Florida estate plan to reflect the changes in your life over the past year? The start of a new year is a natural time to reflect, refresh, and reorganize. For many Floridians, this includes setting resolutions to improve health, finances, and personal relationships. One crucial resolution that often gets overlooked, however, is ensuring your estate plan reflects your current goals and circumstances.


At Worley Elder Law, we know that life does not stand still. From welcoming new family members to dealing with unexpected events, your estate planning tools, like your last will and testament, trust agreements, and durable powers of attorney, should evolve with you. Updating these tools at the start of 2025 can give you peace of mind and confidence that your legacy is protected. We want to share and discuss with you 5 items you should consider as 2025 begins. 


1. Reflect on major life changes. A lot can happen in a year. Marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, retirement, or even moving to Florida are significant events that may impact your estate plan. Let us share a few examples with you:


  • Have you welcomed a new grandchild you would like to include in your trust agreement?

  • Do you need to adjust your will to reflect a change in relationships or beneficiaries?


Take time to review your life’s changes before you meet with your experienced Florida estate planning attorney to ensure your tools align with your new reality.


2. Verify your Durable Power of Attorney. The person you choose as your agent under a Florida durable power of attorney holds a significant responsibility. It is essential to review this designation each year to ensure it still reflects your wishes. Circumstances may change, and you want to be confident that your agent can handle critical decisions on your behalf if needed.


3. Ensure your health care planning is up to date. Health care planning tools are essential for ensuring your medical wishes are honored. These tools, as a part of your comprehensive Florida estate plan, allow you to outline your care preferences and designate trusted individuals to make decisions if you are unable. If your health has changed or you have had new conversations with family about your care, these tools may need adjustments. This is especially important for Floridians managing long-term care needs or starting their journey for long-term care planning.


4. Review your guardianship provisions. If you have minor children, your Florida estate plan should designate guardians to care for their person and property in the event of your passing. The New Year is an excellent time to revisit these decisions considering aspects such as:


• Are the appointed guardians still the best choice for

your children?

• Have family dynamics or circumstances changed?


Updating these provisions with your experienced Florida attorney can ensure your children are cared for by someone you trust.


5. Discuss long-term care planning with your attorney. Although this may not be one of the conversations that is at the top of your “to do” list in the new year, there is no question that proactive planning can be a key to success. As we age, circumstances can change quickly surrounding our health and having a plan to both find the care we need should we receive a serious diagnosis and knowing how to pay for it, can provide the ultimate peace of mind. Your experienced Florida elder law attorney can help you plan forward for what is right for you, your loved ones, and your future.


We know this topic may raise more questions than it answers and want to help you plan for the future, and the unexpected. Life changes quickly, and your Florida estate plan should keep up with those changes to protect your family, assets, and wishes. Whether you are young and single or a married five-time great grandparent, your voice and wishes need to be known. Worley Elder Law, based in beautiful Bradenton, Florida, focuses on helping you understand your options in designing your Estate Plan or Elder Law needs. Whether it is preventative incapacity planning or establishing your legacy, we will take the time to explain every option and work with you to create a customized plan just as unique as you and your family are. Please do not hesitate to contact us to let us help you.


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This website has been designed by Worley Elder Law, PLLC for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice. Information you obtain at this site 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, however, contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until an attorney-client relationship has been established. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.

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