Clearwater Probate - Probate in Florida
Christopher Q. Wintter Florida Probate Lawyer of Wintter & Associates, P.A.
Contact information: 2239 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, FL 33020 - Hollywood: 954-920-7014
Miami-Dade: 305-948-6788 - Boca Raton: 561-470-3448 - Fax: 954-920-7080
Wintter & Associates, P.A. is a Florida trust and estate law firm focusing its practice in the areas of probate administration, trust administration, guardianship administration, probate litigation, trust litigation, guardianship litigation, and estate planning. The firm's professionals are devoted to the representation of clients in estate, trust, probate, and guardianship proceedings. The firm is well known and is well respected by its colleagues, competitors, adversaries, and judges.
Christopher Q. Wintter has over 23 years of experience as a practicing attorney and is a recognized expert in Trust and Estate matters by the Florida Bar. Mr. Wintter earned his Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law (1987) and earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting with High Honors from the University of Florida (1982).
Our attorneys have a thorough understanding of the legal, tax and financial issues that come into play with complex Trusts and Estates. Mr. Wintter holds the prestigious Board Certification by the Florida Bar in Wills, Trusts, and Estates, a credential held by fewer than 350 attorneys out of the more than 90,000 attorneys licensed to practice law in Florida. Mr. Wintter has been Board Certified since 1999. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Wintter was a CPA and maintained his license as a Certified Public Accountant from 1984-2002.
To learn more about Wintter and Associates, P.A., please visit our web-site www.WintterLaw.com.
Probate is generally considered to cover the proper disposition of a person's effects after their death. There are, however, many other legal problems that fall under the fields of practice of a probate lawyer. A probate lawyer can assist you in setting up family trusts, arranging estate plans to avoid probate and reduce taxes, create powers of attorney and designate health care surrogates to make decisions on your behalf in the event that you are incapacitated. In addition, a probate lawyer is your best source of information regarding guardianships, estate law and estate taxes and many other areas having to do with protecting and preserving your assets both for your own needs in later life and for your heirs.
Though most people know what a will is, few understand the intricacies of probate law. Fewer still realize the many ways that they can protect themselves and their families in the event that they are unable to make decisions for themselves. A well-thought-out estate plan will cover all the important bases to ensure that your wishes are carried out in nearly any event. If you are unable to make decisions for yourself with regards to health care or in financial and legal matters, any "interested party" may petition the court to appoint a guardian for you if you haven't designated one in advance. That person may not be the person that you'd choose to make decisions on your behalf. In fact, there are cases where the person appointed by the court to make your decisions may be a total stranger.
What is a guardianship?
Most people are familiar with guardianship as it relates to minors being raised by persons other than their own parents. The courts may also appoint a guardian in other cases where a person is incapable of making decisions about their own care and needs. Those cases include mentally and developmentally disabled adults and elders and adults who are incapacitated by an illness or injury and unable to make their own decisions. A guardian is empowered to make all legal decisions that a next of kin could make on your behalf.
A Clearwater Probate Lawyer can help you avoid guardianship or by designating a person of your choice to handle your affairs in the event that you are incapacitated. By the same token, if you have concerns about a loved one's ability to make decisions regarding their health care or legal and financial affairs, a Clearwater probate attorney can assist you with petitioning for guardianship to ensure that they receive the care and assistance that they need.
