Two Systems, One Plan
An observant Jewish family plans across two systems at once: halacha (Jewish law) and Florida law. Under Torah inheritance, an estate passes in a fixed order, sons before daughters, a double portion to the firstborn, a spouse provided through the ketubah. Most families today want something different: to provide for sons and daughters alike, and to care for a surviving spouse. A purely secular will that simply distributes against that order can leave observant heirs with a halachic problem. The good news: there is a well-established way to honor both.
The Halachic Will
The bridge is a halachic will, traditionally a shtar chatzi zachar ("document of half a male portion"). Instead of distributing by inheritance, the giver creates a binding obligation, a large debt payable from the estate to the heirs who would not inherit by default, that takes effect a moment before death. Because it works as a gift or obligation rather than inheritance, it lets your secular will distribute exactly as you wish while remaining valid under Jewish law. Recognized forms are published by the Beth Din of America and other rabbinical authorities.
A plan that works in both worlds.
We draft the secular documents and coordinate respectfully with your rabbi or beth din.
Book your free consultHow It Fits Your Florida Plan
Your Florida will or revocable trust does the legal work under state law: it controls your property, avoids or manages probate, and names guardians and fiduciaries. The halachic will sits alongside it and makes that distribution binding under Jewish law. We draft and coordinate the secular side; the halachic instrument is prepared with your rabbi or beth din, so both systems say the same thing.
The Halachic Prenup and the Get
For couples, the halachic prenup addresses the agunah problem, a spouse refusing to grant a get (a Jewish divorce), by agreeing in advance to the authority of a beth din. It is prepared with your rabbinical authorities. We make sure your civil prenuptial or postnuptial agreement and your estate plan stay consistent with it.
A Note on Our Role
Kevin is a Florida estate-planning attorney who understands this community and its needs. Questions of halacha belong to your rabbi or beth din; our job is to make the civil-law side honor those decisions, cleanly and without conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Halachic Problem With a Regular Will?
Under Torah inheritance law, an estate passes in a fixed order, sons inherit before daughters, a firstborn son takes a double portion, and a wife is provided for through her ketubah rather than inheriting directly. Most observant families today want to provide equally for sons and daughters and to take care of a spouse, which differs from that default. A purely secular will that distributes against the halachic order can create a halachic concern for observant heirs. The halachic will is the bridge.
What Is a Halachic Will (Shtar Chatzi Zachar)?
It is a halachic instrument, traditionally called a shtar chatzi zachar ("document of half a male portion"), that solves the conflict. Rather than distributing by inheritance, the giver creates a binding obligation, a large debt payable from the estate to the heirs who would not inherit by default (such as daughters or a spouse), that takes effect a moment before death. Because this operates as a gift or debt rather than inheritance, it lets your secular will distribute the way you intend while remaining valid under Jewish law. The Beth Din of America and others publish forms for it.
How Does It Work With My Florida Will and Trust?
They work together. Your Florida will or revocable trust does the legal work under state law: it controls your property, avoids or manages probate, and names guardians and fiduciaries. The halachic will sits alongside it and makes that distribution binding under Jewish law. We draft and coordinate the secular documents; the halachic instrument is prepared with your rabbi or beth din so both systems agree.
Do Retirement Accounts and Life Insurance Pass Under the Halachic Will?
Usually these assets pass by beneficiary designation, a contract with the account custodian or the insurance company, rather than under your will at all. On the civil side that is generally how we leave them: retirement accounts in particular belong on direct beneficiary designations, not routed through probate. Whether contract assets like these also need to be addressed in the halachic instrument is a question for your rabbi or beth din, and it is one we flag rather than answer. Our job is to inventory every designation and keep it consistent with both the secular documents and the halachic plan, so the two systems never point in different directions.
Do You Also Handle the Halachic Prenup?
The halachic prenup is a separate document that addresses the agunah problem (a spouse refusing to grant a get, a Jewish divorce) by having both spouses agree in advance to the authority of a beth din. It is prepared with your rabbi or beth din. We make sure your civil prenuptial or postnuptial agreement and your estate plan are consistent with it, and we coordinate respectfully with your rabbinical authorities.
Are You a Rabbi or Posek?
No. Kevin is a Florida estate-planning attorney who understands the observant community and its needs, and who drafts the secular documents to work cleanly alongside your halachic instruments. Questions of halacha are decided by your rabbi or beth din; our role is to make the civil-law side honor those decisions.
Updated on July 12, 2026. Reviewed by Kevin D. Klagge, Esq., Fla. Bar No. 99502. Attorney Kevin Klagge represents families, businesses, and international clients in estate planning and international law, with a focus on Florida legal tools. He litigates estate and business issues in court. General information about Florida law, not legal or halachic advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Halachic determinations are made by your rabbi or beth din. Do not send confidential information until we have agreed to represent you.