Probate is the process of transferring the right assets to the right beneficiaries at the right time. Having over 40 years of experience helps during this process. Transferring the assets in a timely manner by avoiding disputes and litigation will reduce everyone’s costs.

Kurt D Panouses, P.A. handle succession issues and can help you navigate court processes, payment of the deceased person’s debts, distribution of property according to the will or estate plan, and probate litigation.

Depending on the size of the estate, the probate process can be relatively quick and simple, or complex and time-consuming. We represent clients in Brevard County, and throughout the State of Florida in small and large estates, providing as much or as little assistance as they require.

Estate Planning

  • Wills
  • Trusts
  • Powers of Attorney
  • Health Care Surrogate Designations
  • Living Wills
  • Declaration of Preneed Guardian
  • Advice and Funding of Trusts to Minimize Probate Administrations

Estate and Trust Administration

  • Probate Adminstration of Wills (Formal and Summary)
  • Administration of Trusts

Probate and Trust Litigation

  • Will Contests
  • Breach of Fiduciary Duty
  • Probate Fraud
  • Beneficiary Rights
  • Abuse of Power of Attorney
  • Last Will and Testament Disputes
  • Undue Influence Claims
  • Lack of Mental Capacity (Testamentary Capacity)
  • Removal of Personal Representative and/or Trustee
  • Failure to Make Proper and Timely Distributions
  • Improper Investments
  • Self Dealing
  • Excessive Trustee Compensation
  • Interpreting Ambiguous Trust Provisions

Tax and Business Succession Planning

  • Family Limited Partnerships
  • Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs)
  • Life Insurance Trusts
  • Qualified Personal Residence Trusts
  • Complex Generation-Skipping Transfer Planning, Including Testamentary and Intervivos Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Trusts
  • Annual Gifting to Minimize Estate and Gift Taxes

IRA Planning

  • Minimum Distribution Planning
  • Optimizing Distributions for IRAs to Beneficiaries, Including Trust Beneficiaries

Post Mortem Tax Planning

  • Income Tax Planning for Estates and Trusts to Minimize Taxes
  • Advice and Recommendations for Optimal Positions on Federal Returns
  • Handling of IRS Estate Tax Audits and Appeals

Charitable Giving

  • Charitable Remainder Trusts
  • Charitable Lead Trusts
  • Advice on Charitable Gift Annuities and Other Charitable Gifts
  • Formation and Administration on Charitable Foundations (Family Foundations)

International Tax and Estate Planning

  • Taxation of Non-Resident Beneficiaries of U.S. Trusts
  • Estate Planning for Persons with Assets in Foreign Countries
  • Qualified Domestic Trusts for Non-Resident Spouses

Business Organizations

  • Choice of Business Entity
  • Limited Liability Corporations
  • Corporations
  • Partnerships

Non-Profit Organizations

  • Advice on Formation and Management
  • Tax Policy and Private Inurement

Guardianships / Conservatorships – Temporary or Permanent

  • Over Persons (Minors or Adults)
  • Over Property

IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE: Please note that the views expressed herein or in any attachments hereto are not intended to constitute a “reliance opinion” under applicable Treasury Regulations and, accordingly, are not intended or written to be used, and may not be used or relied upon, for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related penalties that may be imposed by the Internal Revenue Service, or (ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any tax-related matters addressed herein.

NOTICE: Transmission of an e-mail inquiry, making a telephone inquiry, or having a preliminary communication of any kind with The Law Office of Kurt D. Panouses, P.A. does not give rise to an Attorney-Client relationship. An Attorney-Client relationship will exist only when the Attorney and Client have both signed the Engagement Letter and a retainer, if required, has been paid.