A common misconception is that a Will, Trust, or Power of Attorney that is prepared in one state will have the same effectiveness and powers in a different state. This is simply not true. All states are not created equal when it comes to death and disability planning. That is why we advise clients who are moving to or from another state to have their estate planning documents reviewed by an attorney who specializes in estate planning in the state where legal residence will occur.
Are you a “snow bird” who lives in Florida in the winter? Florida is known for being saturated with Ohioans who are trying to escape the often cold and snowy winters. Are you uncertain about where you have legal residence? A simple, non-official guide is that you should have your estate planning documents prepared in the state where you vote.
We are proud to announce that our very own Julie Helter is now licensed to practice law in Florida! It is a very hard task to pass one bar exam, let alone two, and to do so in two states that have very different rules and laws is even more difficult. Having a person on staff who is licensed to practice law in Florida will enable us to provide another level of service to our clients who have property in Florida, or clients of ours who just end up establishing residency in Florida after retirement.
There was no better person to step up to the plate to accomplish this monumental task than Julie Helter, who was born and raised in Florida. If you have a Florida estate planning matter for which you would like Julie’s assistance, please call Julie at 937.643.2000, or you can email her at jhelter@dayton-attorney.com.