Brandon Legal Group,
Estate Planning

Wills, trusts, and/or other estate planning documents can smooth the end of life process and provide solace for your family, while ensuring that your wishes are followed.

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Providing enthusiastic legal counsel with confidence, integrity, and compassion.

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Vigorous client representation has been our guiding principle since our start in Brandon in 2008. Our entire mission is built around one thing, protecting our clients' interests’ legally in Tampa Bay and throughout the state of Florida. From Divorce & Family Law to Criminal Defense and from Business & Civil Litigation to Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation, our team of experienced trial attorneys are ready to protect you.

Our attorneys work diligently to ensure your case is handled with the utmost care and respect for your time and of course, your wallet. We truly believe that each client deserves the highest quality representation possible, and we provide personal attention at each stage of the legal process.

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Wills

What happens to your assets (stuff and money) when you die? What happens to your family? Our experienced attorneys can assist you with answering these types of questions and putting together a comprehensive plan. Most likely, they will begin with the most common estate planning document, a Will.

Trusts

A Trust is an entity that you create to own and control your property on your behalf. Trusts can provide protection from estate taxes and provide for easier after death asset division.

Power of Attorney

At times, you may need someone to make decisions for you financially or otherwise. A Power of Attorney is the document that you will need to execute in order to legally provide this power to someone.

Healthcare Surrogate

What is a Healthcare Surrogate? Not many people know the answer to this question. A Healthcare Surrogate is someone that can legally make decisions about your healthcare or life should you become incapacitated.

Some matters in Criminal, DUI, Bankruptcy, Estate planning, Personal Injury, VA Benefits, and Workers' Compensation may be referred to an outside attorney

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Will

At the very least, a Will is a document everyone should have. Your Will describes what you want to have happen with your assets when you die. Do you want them divided equally? More to one person or to another? Is a memorable item supposed to go to a specific individual? If there is no will you would be said to have passed ‘intestate’. This means that the state could decide who receives your assets rather than you upon death. Unfortunately, who and what is in a Will can create many problems in families since we are dealing with money.

Here are a few things to keep in mind that can affect the creation or legitimacy of a Will:

1. It is important to create a Will while you are of sound mind and mental capacity. When creating a Will you will need to be able to recognize the property in the will and their relationship to the people named in it. In addition, you need to have an understanding of the effect of the Will when it is executed.
2. If the Will was created under undue influence (meaning someone persuaded or coerced a change or the signing of the Will) our attorneys may be able to prove this and deem the Will invalid. This will take away the offenders ability to benefit from it and those deprived may receive damages.

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Trusts

Trusts can be a great tool for those creating estate plans. A trust is funded with some form of personal property. They differ from a Will and can add an additional level of protection to some assets. There are a few different types of trusts that can be created as well. A Living Trust, is one of the most common types and creates a trust for your personal assets during your lifetime after which they will be transferred to your beneficiaries. A couple of the advantages of using a trust in addition to a will is the simplification of the probate process and the added protection from estate taxes. This can alleviate headaches for your heirs and expedite the disbursement of assets.

Power of Attorney

There are a few different types of Power of Attorney that may prove helpful in your estate planning. There is the General Power of Attorney which grants broad powers to a named person to act in your behalf. They can help with your business interests, life insurance purchases, and handling finances.

Another type is the Durable Power of Attorney. This is a document that is used to maintain the existing power of attorney should you become mentally incompetent with a general power of attorney already in place. There are other special power of attorney documents that can help protect you in different situation as well. Understanding what type is right for your situation is important when creating and Estate Plan.

Healthcare Surrogate

When you are no longer able to make decisions about your own healthcare or life, a Healthcare Surrogate will be appointed for you. This happens after medical personnel deem you unable to make decisions on your own behalf. Having a plan in place as to who you wish to fill this roll can help make the process easier for your family if such a situation occurs.

Case Study: Because legal issues rarely stand their own

Our client owned a home in Florida that had no mortgage.

He wanted to leave the home to his 2 children, but wanted to be able to stay in the home until his death.

We were able to prepare the appropriate documents to ensure that his wishes were followed and giving an added benefit to his children.

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Debunking Attorney Myths

It's too expensive to call an attorney.

At Brandon Legal Group, your initial consultation is free. Personal Injury cases are offered on a contingency fee basis meaning there are no out of pocket expenses unless there is a financial recovery in your favor. In other matters, if you think an attorney representing you is too expensive, imagine living without seeing your children or spending the next 10 years in prison…

Having an attorney makes you look guilty.

You may be great at a lot of things, but when is the last time you were lead counsel in a criminal matter? Every individual has a constitutional right to experienced legal counsel no matter the magnitude of the matter. In many instances, the Court may prefer working with experienced Counsel rather than a layman as all litigating parties will be held to the same legal standard and process.

Lawyers just complicate the process.

Experienced attorneys should foresee pitfalls in your case and reduce the chances of last-second surprises that delay or disrupt the finalization of your legal matter. Attorneys know the process, know the nuances of varying judges courtrooms, and can provide you with the proper resources to make the best decisions in your matter.

WHO WE ARE

Full service law firm serving the greater Brandon and Tampa area.

When you place your legal matter in the hands of our experienced Brandon Legal Group attorneys, you are placing it in the hands of professionals with over 40 years of experience committed to helping you achieve the best possible outcome for your case.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Litigation can be stressful and full of uncertainty. We pride ourselves on providing enthusiastic legal counsel with confidence, integrity, and compassion. Our attorneys are committed to providing you with unmatched support and attention. We will listen carefully to your concerns, answer all of your questions, and work with you to help overcome any obstacles. We will aggressively represent your rights and best interests through each step of your case so that you receive the best possible legal outcome.

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Brandon Legal Group - Service Overview
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Family Law & Divorce

Personal Injury

Mediation

BUI/DUI Defense

Criminal Defense

Estate Planning

Business & Civil Litigation

Bankruptcy

Workers' Compensation

Veterans Benefits

Meet Our Attorneys

Ingrid Hooglander

In 2008 after gaining years of experience under the watchful eyes of her predecessors, Ms. Hooglander opened her own private practice that has grown into what Brandon Legal Group is today.

Her weight lifting and Kick Boxing training contribute to a reputation as a "force of nature" in both her personal life and her presence in the court room.

Luke Mattson

Mr. Mattson found his niche in family law and has focused his practice in that area since 2000. In particular, Luke often handles matters involving divorce, timesharing, parenting plans, child support, alimony, paternity, and civil domestic violence.

Mr. Mattson might look like he’s all business, but you'd be surprised to discover the incredible fun loving attitude he brings to the practice. When outside the courtroom, Mr. Mattson can often be found watching Lightning games or riding his bike around downtown Tampa.

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Ingrid is a gifted attorney with significant subject matter experience in family law matters. She has a ton of experience and is an expert in this practice area. She is a hard worker and puts clients first. She is able to gain exceptional results for her clients. Without hesitation I endorse Ingrid.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if you die without a will?

Someone who dies without a valid will is “intestate.” Even if the decedent dies intestate, the probate assets are almost never turned over to the state of Florida. The state will only take the assets if the deceased had no heirs based on the Florida statute governing distribution of the probate assets.

Do I need a trust or is a will enough?

This is a difficult question to answer and varies depending on your individual needs. If you are looking to avoid probate issues, or have significant property, the answer is most likely yes, but it isn’t always that simple. Depending on the amount of assets and heirs, a lot of variables can come into play. It is best to speak to an attorney about your individual needs and what is best for your situation.

Legal Questions Answered Brandon Legal Group

I am terminally ill, can I still change my will?

If you find yourself in this situation it is best to contact an attorney as quickly as possible because all cases are different. Depending on the illness and the extenuating circumstances you may or may not be able to sign the documents.