October is National Estate Planning Awareness Month. This observance offers an important reminder: estate planning is not only about death and deciding who receives property after death. It is a core part of a person’s financial wellness that can protect you during life, provide clear direction if you become incapacitated, and reduce uncertainty for the people and businesses you care about.
Without a thoughtful plan, assets may pass through probate court or be distributed under default state law rather than according to your wishes. Families may also face avoidable delays, costs, administrative burdens, and disagreements. A well-designed estate plan can address the safekeeping of important records, ownership and documentation of assets, and instructions for care during incapacity.
Effective planning should also evolve as your life changes. Marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a move to another state, the purchase or sale of a business, changes in wealth, and new tax laws may all affect an existing plan. Regular reviews with an estate planning attorney help keep your plan aligned with your current goals, and the right estate planning team makes that process collaborative, personal, and easier to navigate.
Our Florida SSRGA Trusts & Estates Team
Chioma R. Deere, Esq., Senior Counsel: Chioma advises clients on estate planning, probate, trust administration, asset protection, guardianship, and related disputes. Chioma’s superpower is making estate planning clear and stress-free by combining legal expertise, technology, and a compassionate approach to empower families in protecting their wealth and legacy. She also focuses on international estates and works with colleagues and outside advisors to help clients coordinate legal, tax, and financial strategies.
Amanda Winnegar, Senior Paralegal: Amanda combines organization, communication, and client service to support the attorneys and clients throughout the legal process. She believes every client deserves personalized attention and clear guidance, and she helps create a collaborative experience in which clients remain informed, supported, and valued at every step.
Jennifer Fulton, Esq. Of Counsel: Jennifer’s clients appreciate that SSRGA can provide guidance across a range of practice areas. Because many situations involve more than one area of law, the firm’s attorneys work together to provide coordinated advice and practical solutions. Jennifer also collaborates with SSRGA’s New York office to provide seamless service for clients with interests in both Florida and New York. As an active member of various South Florida bar associations and estate planning organizations, Jennifer is able to share local resources with her clients.
National Estate Planning Awareness Month is a strong reason to begin—or revisit—the conversation. A current, coordinated plan can provide clarity now and a stronger framework for the future. SSRGA welcomes the opportunity to help clients identify priorities, understand available options, and take practical next steps.
How SSRGA Trusts & Estates Helps
SSRGA’s Trusts & Estates team provides coordinated guidance for individuals, families, fiduciaries, and business owners. Our services include estate planning, probate and trust administration, guardianship matters, asset-protection strategies, trust and estate litigation, tax planning, and business succession planning. Because legal and financial decisions often overlap. For example, when a client is working with a family law attorney on a nuptial agreement, we can advise on inheritance provisions and ensure the client’s estate plan aligns with those goals. If a client is going through a divorce, we can update their estate planning documents and make any necessary changes to fiduciary appointments. When litigation or an appeal involves a deceased individual, we work closely with our litigation team on probate-related issues, including the appointment of a personal representative when needed. We welcome coordination with clients’ accountants, financial advisors, insurance professionals, and other trusted professionals when appropriate.
Our tax planning services often help clients evaluate transfer-tax exposure, income-tax considerations, charitable goals, international and multi-state estate planning, and the tax consequences of different estate planning structures. For business owners, succession planning can address ownership transitions, management continuity, buy-sell arrangements, and the coordination of business interests with personal estate plans. The goal is a practical, integrated plan and not a collection of documents that operate in isolation.
Whether you need to review and update an existing estate plan or create a comprehensive plan for the first time, SSRGA’s Trusts & Estates team can help you build a strategy tailored to your life, family, assets, business interests, and unique circumstances.