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Whibbs Stone Barnett Turner, PA
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  • AttorneysPensacola, FL Attorney Profiles Our Attorneys Serve Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola & Surrounding Areas The law firm of Whibbs & Stone, P.A., is ready and willing to help you. With over 60 years of combined experience practicing law, our lawyers work effectively to get the results you deserve. Suzanne Whibbs Suzanne Whibbs received her undergraduate degree from the University of Auburn in 1993. In 1997, she received her J.D. from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. Ms. Whibbs is a member of the Florida Bar, the Escambia-Santa Rosa County Bar Association, and the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Sections of the Florida Bar. Her practice focuses primarily on Collections, Real Estate, Wills, Probate, Trusts and Estates, Debtor and Creditor Law, Business Law and Banking Law. Donovan Whibbs Donovan Whibbs received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in 1994. In 1997, he received his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, where he was the Associate Editor for the American Journal of Trial Advocacy. He is a member of both the Florida and Alabama Bar. Mr. Whibbs is a member of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Florida Bar, Association of Trial Lawyers of America,…
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  • Practice AreasPensacola Lawyers Our lawyers serve Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach & Surrounding Areas Located in Pensacola, Florida, the attorneys at Whibbs & Stone, P.A. represent clients throughout Florida in a variety of legal matters. We are a full service law firm established to assist clients a number of business-related matters and personal legal concerns, including the following: Accident Injuries Workers Compensation Automobile Accidents Trucking Accidents Personal Injury & Wrongful Death Criminal Law DUI Business Transactions Contract and Commercial Litigation Real Estate Estate Planning, Probate, Wills, Trusts, and Elder Law Social Security Disability Medical Malpractice Insurance Disputes Bankruptcy Family Law & Divorce We earned our reputation for excellence and our track record of success by providing individuals and businesses with excellent legal representation, the highest level of personal service, and our attention to detail. We will aggressively pursue your claim and zealously protect your rights. Pensacola Personal Injury Lawyers Our experienced personal injury lawyers assist clients that have suffered a personal injury, have lost a loved one, or want to recover workers compensation for an injury on the job. Our personal injury practice includes auto accidents (car wreck, car crash) as well as slip and fall claims. In many of these cases,…
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  • FAQsFrequently Asked Questions at Our Pensacola Personal Injury Law Firm Florida attorneys you can turn to for answers Whibbs & Stone, Attorneys at Law ensures clients are fully informed about personal injury law. The answers to the following questions are just the beginning. Once you have read them, you are invited to discuss your injury with a qualified Pensacola injury lawyer at our firm. What are some common myths about accident cases? What should I prepare for my first meeting with a lawyer? What questions should I ask when selecting an attorney? Should I provide a statement to an insurance company without a lawyer’s help? Will I have to go to trial to recover damages? How much will the legal process cost? What determines the amount I might recover? What are PIP benefits in Florida? A dog bit me. Who do I tell? What is the “one free bite” rule? How long will my case take? When you need a Pensacola accident injury attorney you can trust If you require assistance with common questions related to an injury accident, do not hesitate to contact Whibbs & Stone, Attorneys at Law online or at [phone] to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION on…
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  • Wills

    estate planning lawyers in Pensacola, Florida

Living Wills & Last Will and Testament Attorneys in Pensacola

No matter how much property you own or what your financial situation is, every person should have a will. A standard will, also known as a Last Will and Testament, designates in writing your final wishes after you pass on. Without a will, your assets may be tied up in probate for an extended period of time, leaving the final decisions regarding who receives your property up to the courts. Another important estate planning document is a living will. Living wills, also known as advanced directives, provide written instructions regarding future medical decisions should you become incapacitated.

At the Law Offices of Whibbs, Stone & Barnett, P.A., our attorneys have over six decades of combined experience helping clients develop estate plans that fully address their needs. We have extensive knowledge of wills, living wills, trusts, and other important estate planning tools, and we work closely with clients to develop the plan that is just right for them. We also have an in-depth understanding of several other practice areas that often become intertwined with estate planning, such as real estate and family law. This allows us to develop estate plans of all levels of complexity with innovative solutions that come from our many years of comprehensive experience.

The Benefits of Creating a Will

In Florida, most estates must go through the probate process, regardless of whether or not you have a will. There are some types of property that may not have to go through probate, such as assets owned jointly, accounts with a designated beneficiary, and trusts. With a valid Last Will and Testament, the probate process is more streamlined and predictable.

There are many reasons to consider creating a will. Some of the most important include:

  • You Decide How your Property is Distributed: If you die without a will in Florida, your property is divided up between your spouse and “descendants” in various ways as determined by the probate court based on Florida intestate succession laws. With a will, you can decide who you want your property to go to when you pass on. This could be especially important if you have certain descendants that you do not want to receive property, or if you have someone close to you whom you are not married to or related to, but you want them to receive an inheritance.
  • You Appoint the Executor: It is very important that your final affairs are administered by someone you can trust to carry out the directives of your will in accordance with your final wishes. If you have a will, you decide in advance who will be the executor of your estate. Without a will, the probate court makes this decision for you.
  • You Decide who Looks after your Minor Children: If you have any children under the age of 18 and you die without a will, the courts will ultimately decide who will become guardian and raise your minor children. This is a very important decision, and one that you should make rather than the courts.
  • You Can Reduce the Chances of a Legal Dispute: It is not uncommon for individuals who die without a will to have family members fight over who receives what property. This can lead to costly and protracted legal battles. If you have a will, the likelihood of a legal challenge is vastly reduced. Though wills can be contested, if the will is validly executed in accordance with state laws, the chances are minimal that any family member would decide to go that route.

Changing your Will after a Divorce

In Florida, an old will can be canceled by the creation of a new one. A properly worded Last Will and Testament will contain a statement that revokes/cancels all previous wills. If you are currently facing a divorce or you are legally separated, this is a good time to update your will. For example, if your (soon to be) ex-spouse is currently the executor of your estate, you may want to change that and appoint a new executor. You may also want to change your heirs and update the distribution of your property based on your post-divorce circumstances. Our attorneys can guide you through this process to ensure that important life changes are fully addressed in your updated will.

Florida Living Wills

If you are no longer able to make health care decisions because of an injury, illness, or advanced age, having a living will in place can help ensure that the right decisions are made based on your wishes. Living wills are advanced health care directives that give instructions on which treatments and procedures you want to receive and which ones you want to forego if you should become physically or mentally incapacitated. A living will can provide detailed instructions to doctors, caregivers, and family members, allowing you to receive the care you want in various situations while relieving your family members of making these difficult decisions on their own and without your input.

Along with a living will/advanced directive, it is a good idea to appoint a medical power of attorney. In Florida, this is referred to as a Health Care Surrogate. A health care surrogate is a trusted person that is designated to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are no longer able to make these decisions on your own. Used in conjunction with a living will, you can ensure that you have the right person in place to carry out your wishes as stated in the advanced directive document.

Speak with a Seasoned Florida Estate Planning Lawyer

Wills and living wills are important aspects of an estate plan. You may prepare these documents on your own using some type of ‘do-it-yourself’ kit, but this could have unintended consequences. These kits may be valid and legal, but they are usually very basic and do not take into account specific circumstances and the legal ramifications of various decisions you make. By working with an experienced attorney, you can ensure that these documents are created in a way that fully protects your interests and accounts for all known eventualities.

At the Law Offices of Whibbs, Stone & Barnett, P.A., we take the time to listen and understand the unique needs of our clients, and we put our in-depth experience to work to create the right estate plan to address your needs. For a personalized consultation with one of our attorneys, contact us today at 850-500-1111 or send us a message through our online form. You may also stop by our Pensacola office.

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Whibbs Stone Barnett Turner, PA

Pensacola Office
801 W. Romana St., Unit C
Pensacola, FL 32502
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Ft. Walton Beach
28 Walter Martin Rd.
Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548
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Fairhope, Alabama
108 Professional Park Dr.
Fairhope, AL 36532
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With offices in Pensacola, Fort Walton/Destin, and Mobile, Alabama, we serve people across much of the Florida panhandle and the Gulf Coast. We offer a free consultation for all personal injury claims and always strive to provide high-quality legal services at reasonable, affordable rates.

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Pensacola Office
801 W. Romana St., Unit C
Pensacola, FL 32502
Call: 850-500-1111
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Whibbs Stone Barnett Turner, PA  Attorneys at Law, is located in Pensacola, FL, and serves clients in Pace, Milton, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, Navarre, Cantonment, Molino, Crestview, Niceville, Fort Walton Beach, Mobile, Hurlburt Field, Eglin Air Force Base, Theodore, Irvington, Satsuma, Saint Elmo, Bucks, Grand Bay, Baldwin, Gonzalez, Valparaiso, Escambia and Okaloosa Counties.

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