Blog Topics

Death is never easy. The days, weeks, and months following the loss of a loved one can be overwhelming. After you notify family members, and plan and complete the funeral arrangements and services, you then have to carry out your …

You are engaged! Congratulations! You and your soon-to-be spouse have endless wedding details to plan – your venue, guests, flowers – the list goes on. While planning your wedding is fun (and stressful), planning your marriage is essential. A prenuptial …

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) represents the most comprehensive reform of the U.S. tax code in over thirty years and includes significant changes which will likely impact your estate plan. Some of the significant changes include the following: …

A Last Will and Testament (often referred to as a “will”) should be included in every estate plan. A will details the disposition of your estate upon your death. Most people understand the basic need for a will, especially since …

Hurricane Harvey caused devastation in Texas.  We all saw video of seniors in a nursing home sitting in filthy water midway up their wheelchairs. Hurricane Irma caused devastation in Florida and throughout the southeastern USA.  We all saw video and …

Estate planning is not a trending topic for millennials. It is not popular to plan your death when you think you are young and invincible. You may be starting college, your career, or even a family. Why would you want …

The IRS does not allow you to keep retirement funds in a tax-deferred retirement account forever. When you reach 70½ years of age, you must start taking required minimum distributions (“RMD”) from your individual retirement account or qualified plan. The …

Have you ever gone on a treasure hunt? Long gone are the days when you need to go on an adventure to discover lost property. Now, you can simply search a website run by the Florida Division of Unclaimed Property …

Arlene Lakin, Esq. Florida Bar Board Certified Elder Law Attorney For those of you who remember, or those who do not remember, back in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s, the late comedian Jackie Gleason hosted a TV show with his favorite …

Property values in Florida are on the rise. From June of 2015 through June of 2016, the price of homes increased by 7% in the State of Florida. A 6.8% increase is projected again by June of 2017. Because property …