Monthly Archives: November 2012

The Tangible Personal Property List- What happens to your “stuff” after you die

Florida allows the use of a ‘memorandum’ or ‘separate writing’ to leave ‘tangible personal property’ under a will. But, there are a couple of wrinkles. First, the will must refer to a written statement or list of property; most lawyer … Continue reading

Posted in Wills | Tagged , | Leave a comment

What to do when a loved one dies, Part 2

Last time we looked at some of the steps to take when a loved one dies, gathering information and documents. Now, we look at what you do with those documents to determine if a probate is needed. As I explain … Continue reading

Posted in Probate, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

What to do when a loved one dies, Part 1

Last time we looked at what can be done when a loved one is dying; depending on the circumstances, it may range from simply waiting to doing some last minute estate planning. What do you need to do after a … Continue reading

Posted in Probate, Wills | Tagged | Leave a comment

What can you do when a loved one is near death?

Sometimes I get phone calls asking about what to do when someone is dying.  Typically, the person is in the hospital, or a nursing home, or hospice, and it’s apparent that they are near the end.  Family members want to … Continue reading

Posted in Estate Planning, Health Care Surrogacies, Powers of Attorney, Probate, Wills | Leave a comment

How Deep Can You Pile It? Pyramid Schemes

Last time we looked at the Ponzi Scheme, where a con man takes your money, and  pays it back to you over time, convincing  you, and others, that he has invested it. There is another very common sort of scam, … Continue reading

Posted in Asset Protection, Scams | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Gone, Baby, Gone: The Money, That Is. A Primer on Ponzi Schemes.

Most Villages residents are of an age to remember a movie starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, The Sting, involving a very complicated confidence job on a gangster.  If  you’ve seen it, you remember it; if you haven’t seen it, … Continue reading

Posted in Asset Protection | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Nursing Homes, Medicaid and Homesteads in Florida

A very common question from potential clients has to do with nursing homes and homes.  Specifically, what happens if someone has to go into a nursing home; does the state ‘take’ the house? I understand that in many other states, … Continue reading

Posted in Asset Protection, Homestead | Tagged , | Leave a comment