You don’t have to be rich. You don’t have to be old. Everyone needs an estate plan. Without a valid plan specifying who gets what if you pass away, the state you reside in will make those decisions for you. Don’t…
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A new Florida law is expected to prevent assisted living residents from having to enter nursing homes prematurely. The new law, HB 1001, gives ALF staff who have certain training the authority to help residents perform routine health-related tasks such…
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The Florida Supreme Court on January 15, 2015 ruled that a non-lawyer is guilty of the unlicensed practice of law if the individual engages in Medicaid planning activities for clients leading up to the application. The Supreme Court took up…
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Sure, Florida has a large numbers of retirees. No surprise there. But this may surprise you: Florida’s over-65 population is not growing as fast, percentage wise, as in other states. In fact, it doesn’t even crack the top ten. The…
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Not all parents enjoy a warm relationship with all their children. I’ve met with many parents – some pained, some resigned, others angry – who have been estranged from their children for years. They may have tried reaching out and been…
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We often warn readers about the dangers of using do-it-yourself websites and pre-printed forms to create wills and trust. Experienced estate planning lawyers do more than put together a pile of papers for you to sign and take home: We…
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There have been changes to Florida Statute 709.2109 governing the Durable Power of Attorney. Under the new law, in the event of divorce or annulment, or when an action is filed for divorce or legal separation, your spouse loses the…
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Are you one of the many Florida residents relying on Medicare to pay your way if you ever need nursing home care? Depending on what you mean by “nursing home,” you, your family and your pocketbook could be in for…
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A shout-out to Attorney Greg Herman-Giddens, who posted this excellent piece on his North Carolina Estate Planning Blog. It’s easy to tell horror stories about the trouble clients get into with do-it-yourself estate planning forms. His post instead concentrates on all the positive…
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In the public consciousness, elder abuse is where child abuse was years ago. It is under-reported. Poorly understood. And off the public’s radar. Fortunately, many efforts are being made today to bring this problem into the light of day. That’s…
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