Articles from Yergey & Yergey, P.A.
Practical guidance on Florida probate, estate planning, guardianship, and trust law — written by attorneys who practice it every day in Orange County and the surrounding circuits.
Probate
The $180,000 Surprise: What Happens When Assets Turn Up After the Estate Is Already Closed
The family thought probate was over. The house had been sold, the checks distributed, the case closed. Then a letter arrived from a bank nobody had heard of, holding $180,000 nobody knew existed. In Florida, forgotten assets are more common than you think, and reopening a closed estate is never cheap or quick.
Estate Planning
I'm Single. Do I Really Need an Estate Plan?
Yes. And not because something is wrong. Being single means you get to be intentional about the people, priorities, and plans that matter most to you. Estate planning is not just for married couples or parents — it is for anyone who has assets, health decisions to make, or people they care about.
Estate Planning
What Really Happens at Your First Estate Planning Meeting in Florida
Most people picture estate planning as a stiff, intimidating process full of legal jargon. In reality, the first meeting is mostly a conversation. Here is what to expect, what to bring, and how our firm keeps the process simple for Florida families.
Estate Planning
Your Disabled Child Could Lose Everything You Leave Them — Unless You Plan Around a $2,000 Trap
If your child or grandchild has a disability and relies on government benefits, leaving them money directly could cost them their health insurance and monthly income. A special needs trust protects both the inheritance and the benefits. Here is what Florida families need to know.
Estate Planning
When Should You Update Your Florida Estate Plan? Seven Life Events That Change Everything
Your estate plan was built for the life you had when you signed it. Seven life events — each common, each consequential — can render those documents legally correct but practically wrong.
Estate Planning
Blended Family, Unblended Paperwork
When a blended family's estate documents don't reflect the new family structure, assumptions collide with legal defaults — and probate court is where the collision plays out.
Estate Planning
What Happens During an Estate Planning Consultation — and What You Should Bring
If you're thinking about setting up an estate plan, one of the first questions you probably have is: what actually happens during the consultation? The short answer is this: it's a conversation. You do not need to show up with every document you've ever signed. The goal of the consultation is to talk through your situation, your goals, and your options.
Estate Planning
Why Tax Season Is the Right Time to Update Your Estate Planning Documents
Tax season is not just a time to review income, deductions, and account balances. It is also one of the best times to review your estate planning documents. When you are already gathering financial records and looking closely at your assets, it makes sense to make sure your will, trust, power of attorney, and health care documents still reflect your current wishes.
Estate Planning
Estate Planning Checklist for Orlando Residents
Estate planning is not a single document or a one-time event — it is a comprehensive set of legal tools designed to protect you during your lifetime and ensure your assets pass efficiently to the people and causes you care about after you are gone. For Orlando and Central Florida residents, Florida law offers unique planning opportunities and imposes distinct requirements that make working with a local attorney especially valuable.
Estate Planning
5 Estate Planning Mistakes Florida Families Make
Estate planning is one of the most important steps a Florida family can take to protect their assets, honor their wishes, and spare loved ones unnecessary stress. Yet many Orlando and Central Florida residents either have no plan at all or have a plan with critical flaws that will cause problems when it matters most. Here are the five most costly estate planning errors — and how to avoid them.