Estate planning with blended families can prove challenging under the best of circumstances. But this recent Market Watch column raises a nightmare scenario that's popping up far too often in the time of COIVD-19. A column reader explained that his father died without a will, leaving behind the r...
The COVID-19 pandemic has unquestionably changed life as we know it in Florida over the last six months. With more than 542,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and more than 8,500 deaths in Florida, attorneys specializing in estate planning are seeing a surge in new business. The pandemi...
An estimated 1.3 million people in the United States are under guardianship in this country, with another person appointed to look after their finances and physical and emotional well-being. About 85% of those under guardianship are over the age of 65. While most guardians are conscientious, some...
COVID-19 and the novel coronavirus have turned life as we know it upside down. With more than a quarter of a million cases in Florida and more than 16,000 in Orange County alone, this virus has many of us thinking about our mortality and long and short-term estate plans. If you are considering re...
Protests have rocked Central Florida and the Orlando area night after night since May 28, 2020. Thousands have gathered to show outrage over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died pinned under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, clashes between Orlando police. While the vast majori...
The last two and a half months have been a stressful time period for all of us. As the COVID-19 pandemic has spread across the country, we've all had to readjust our day-to-day living by practicing social distancing, staying at home as much as possible, and wearing masks when we are out and about...
In part, what makes getting a divorce in Orlando, Florida so difficult is the who-gets-what part of it. One of the biggest concerns is who gets the house, if anyone. And so the question posed here is: Who really does get the house in a Florida divorce? The answer is dependent on different factor...
Many Floridians have suddenly found themselves without their jobs as a result of the novel coronavirus and the economic shutdown. At the time of this writing, the unemployment rate is at 4.3 percent, with over 1.6 million people applying for unemployment claims with the state government since mid...
If you were contemplating getting a divorce before the novel coronavirus hit, you may have decided to put it off for the sake of your children or maybe for financial reasons. But with many people now stuck at home together for long periods of time, couples who were having marital issues before ha...
The coronavirus has put us all on edge in Florida, in this country, and throughout the world. From business closures to state closures to the daily rise in infection numbers and deaths, it's scary out there. Many people are thinking about life generally and mortality specifically. Then, they thin...
It's hard enough co-parenting without a national emergency, but now we are in the midst of one. The COVID-19 crisis is affecting all areas of life, not least of which includes parenting time and co-parenting. Here is a brief discussion of how this crisis could incidentally impact co-parent and ti...
The number of unwed mothers giving birth to children in Florida has steadily increased since the 1970s. According to Florida Vital Statistics, In general, the percent of live births to unwed Florida mothers had been steadily increasing, representing 15.0 percent of all births in 1970, 22.9 perc...
For many Orlando residents, an estate plan is a comprehensive tool they use to make sure their loved ones benefit well after they have died. This security we provide makes us feel good and nurtures a want to be financially responsible. But for some of you, you may soon feel like you are being pun...
USA Today just published a report comparing the costs of divorce in each state of the United States. Florida had some surprising statistics. According to the report, Florida has: Avg. cost of divorce without children: $13,500 (15th highest) Avg. cost of divorce with children: $20,300 (16th hi...
When you have a minor child, you are responsible for that child financially. In a divorce or custody case, one parent may be ordered to pay child support to the other parent. The purpose is simple: to help the parent with primary custody pay for essential things the child needs, like: food w...
During the divorce process, one spouse may fight for spousal support. If the support is awarded, the paying spouse must comply. In the divorce decree, the parameters of the spousal support are outlined, and this can include the duration of the alimony. It could be only a few years or it could be ...
A power of attorney (POA) in Florida has many responsibilities when the principal of the power of attorney – the one who appointed the agent to manage his or her financial affairs in the event he or she cannot manage those affairs – becomes incapacitated. Parents often choose one trusted, respons...
Imagine this situation: you are divorced and you share parental responsibilities with your ex-spouse, including educational responsibilities. The catch is this: you both want your child to attend a different school in Orlando. Your intentions are both probably admirable because there's no doubt e...
You may be a private person and don't want all your dirty laundry exposed, and so, now that you are going through (or at least thinking about) a divorce, you may wonder if it will be public knowledge. Maybe there are children whom you want to protect or assets you don't want others to know about....
When you have a special needs child in your family, your first instinct may be to protect that person against any kind of abuse and to secure his or her financial future. To do so, many people wonder if they can leave money and/or other assets to the loved one with special needs in a will execute...
When we think of holidays for the purpose of parenting plans, custody, and timesharing, we usually think of holidays associated with days off of school (and – for parents – days off of work). Days off or school and/or work mean days parents can spend time with their child. So, working these parti...
Whether you are getting a divorce or otherwise breaking up as a couple and have a child, parenting responsibilities will most usually be shared as will the time you spend with your child. It's the sharing part that can become a problem for many. Emotions are heated. Worries are rampant. Bitternes...
While married, you did everything you were supposed to do to secure your futures: you made sure your estate plan was properly drafted and executed through an experienced estate planning attorney in Orlando. But then you and your spouse divorced. Does this divorce impact your estate plan at all? ...
A guardian is appointed by the court to represent the best interest of the ward.There are two types of guardianships. The first is for a minor who will be receiving monies of $15,000.00 or more from a lawsuit settlement, wrongful death beneficiary, insurance policy award, or inheritance. Florid...
Divorce can be a painful, confusing, and nerve-wracking experience that has a massive impact on your finances. As you move from a single household to two separate homes, income will not stretch as far. Studies show that people need to increase their income by approximately 30% to maintain their ...
