Thinking about the future can be stressful. There’s no telling what the future holds, and feeling unprepared for it can make it tempting to avoid thinking about it altogether. Thankfully, there are many things you can do to make sure that you and your loved ones will be taken care of. Hill & Kinsella is an estate planning, probate and elder law practice in St. Petersburg.

Medicaid Asset Protection - Many courts have commented that federal Medicaid laws are the most complicated laws that have ever been put into effect by Congress with the exception of the Internal Revenue Code. In addition, Florida has many special laws, rules, regulations, and interpretations that increase the confusion.  Achieving Florida Medicaid eligibility can be an overwhelming challenge for anyone! Yet, a knowledgeable elder law attorney can provide proper guidance when navigating this area. With that help, the rewards can be great.  In Florida, there are a number of different Medicaid programs including a long-term care assistance program for the financially needy. Our attorneys are here to help you understand and walk through this challenging process.

Estate Planning - Estate Planning is important regardless of the amount of assets you own. Frequently, good planning is more critical for someone with a nominal amount of assets than for the wealthy.  Hill & Kinsella is a skilled estate planning team in St. Petersburg that listens to your planning goals and shows you how to achieve them. Protecting your assets now and in the future starts with having a trusted estate planning attorney on your side.  Every family has different needs. Our experience provides us with an important framework for assisting clients, but we provide every client with personalized service to learn more about their goals. We strive to help our clients find peace of mind for the future. You deserve to feel protected, and our experienced legal team can help you live your life to the fullest while feeling assured that you have a plan for the future.  Our goal is to help you reach your goals. Assigning trusted people to act as your agent when you cannot means that your wishes will always be honored. You will get honest answers and advice at Hill & Kinsella.

Health Care Directives & Living Wills - Does the thought of someone else deciding whether you live or die seem invasive and a violation of your privacy and individual rights? If you believe so, then you can avoid this entire mess by executing advanced directives like a health care surrogate and living will while you are totally in control of your life.  You never know when you might face the possibility of being unable to give informed consent or make decisions about your care. Our esteemed attorneys at Hill & Kinsella encourage you to speak to our legal team to make sure all your questions and concerns are fully addressed.

Probate & Trust Administration - The word probate means to prove. In Florida, the probate court is where certain matters pertaining to a deceased person’s estate (and their assets) are transferred through a judicial proceeding. Basically, probate is the court’s way of making sure a person’s wishes are honored as they would have wanted them to be. 

The basic goal of probate is to pass clear title to assets on to the rightful beneficiaries. Assets that are subject to the process are known as probate assets.  During a probate, the court appoints a personal representative to identify and collect the assets, pay the decedent's debts and expenses, and distribute the remaining assets to the named beneficiaries. At Hill & Kinsella we work directly with the personal representative helping them with court procedures and requirements.

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