Recent Blog Posts
Wills, Divorce and Life Insurance
Have you ever wondered what happens to the outcome of a person’s Last Will and Testament following the divorce of a married couple? Even more interesting is what happens to a named spouse as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy when a couple divorces. The answer is fairly simple. Florida law treats the… Read More »
Homeowner and Condo Association Documents
Before you purchase your dream home or condominium, beware of the association documents and deed restrictions that come with it. The law presumes that once you sign the contract to purchase, you are put on notice as to the restrictions placed upon your property as to how you may use it. Ideally, when you… Read More »
Gifting Prior to Death
If you have ever thought about giving something, make certain that the gift is either memorized in a Will, delivered directly or symbolically to the person receiving such gift. The problem in gifting is whether the gift was actually delivered and all ties to it were relinquished by the former owner during life or… Read More »
Real Estate Odds and Ends
Have you ever wondered about those documentary stamps that the government charges when you convey your property to another? If you have, you’re not alone, it is sometimes a mystery as to how the assessment is for the tax is made. You should think of it as a sales tax similar to the type… Read More »
Will and Trust Bequests, Bankruptcy and Judgment Creditors
The need to protect your current assets as well as future assets (e.g. inheritance) is becoming more critical than ever. This article discusses those situations where a family patriarch who is financially stable has children who are under financial distress, insolvent or in bankruptcy and lose their parents’ bequests because the parent’s testamentary document… Read More »
Personal Representative Recovery of Homestead Expenses
It is well known that Florida law protects homeowners against forced sale from creditors. This also holds true when the owner of his or her primary Florida residence dies leaving judgment holders waiting to be paid. The protection against forced sale of a decedent’s homestead to pay creditors also passes to the heirs who… Read More »
Protecting Tangible Personal Property
Your estate will consist of your real, intangible and tangible personal property. Real property is fairly obvious, it’s the dirt that you own. Your intangible personal property consists of cash, stocks and bonds. The tangible personal property of your estate is defined as that which can be felt or has physical form and substance…. Read More »
Homestead – Wills and Trusts with Pay Debts on Death Clauses
When preparing a Will or Trust conveying your homestead to your children or other surviving descendants, be careful not to demand the property be sold to pay debts. Why you ask; consider the following facts, Mom has a Will prepared that states that all her property is to be sold to pay her debts… Read More »
Separate Writing Outside a Will
When a Last Will and Testament is prepared for someone, there usually comes a moment when that person gets home and suddenly remembers that they forgot to include a specific heir loom they wanted to devise to a family member or other individual outside the family. Fortunately, Florida’s Probate statutes provide a mechanism to… Read More »
Don’t Forget the Pre-Need Guardianship Document
If you are concerned about what might happen to you or your child in the event you are no longer able to care for yourself or your child, then you should consider having a Pre-need Guardianship document prepared in the event a catastrophic condition affects your person and property. Moreover, with the recent press… Read More »
