Estate planning, probate & elder law in Fort Lauderdale
Estate planning, probate & elder law in Fort Lauderdale
Plain-English guidance on estate planning, probate, elder law, and protecting what you have built, from a Fort Lauderdale attorney who answers his own phone.
Florida law allows caregivers to recover compensation from estates through written agreements, quantum meruit, or unjust enrichment claims.
Read moreFlorida law provides procedures for managing missing persons' property and obtaining judicial declarations of death after prolonged absence.
Read moreHB 1337 modernizes Florida probate law with expanded summary administration, increased financial thresholds, and enhanced personal representative authority.
Read moreFlorida land trusts allow property owners to maintain privacy while preserving control over real estate through a statutory trust structure.
Read moreFlorida's recent estate planning law changes affect wills, trusts, homestead planning, and Medicaid eligibility for 2025.
Read moreFlorida Medicaid long-term care applicants must keep countable assets below $2,000, but assets like primary residences and vehicles are exempt.
Read moreFlorida's 2020 law allows heirs to purchase other heirs' property shares through court-supervised sales rather than forced partition.
Read moreFlorida's new Digital Bill of Rights, effective July 1, 2024, expands data privacy protections and requires businesses to implement privacy policies.
Read moreKratom overdose deaths are rising in the US, prompting wrongful death lawsuits against manufacturers for negligence and failure to warn.
Read moreFlorida's new personal injury law makes it harder for plaintiffs to sue by shortening the statute of limitations and modifying comparative fault rules.
Read moreDefamation is communicating false statements to third parties that harm reputation, subdivided into slander and libel.
Read moreFlorida's slayer statute prevents anyone who intentionally kills another from inheriting the victim's estate.
Read moreGuide to proving slip and fall liability in Florida, covering dangerous conditions, the elements of negligence, and recoverable damages.
Read moreFlorida wrongful death lawsuits allow estates to recover damages when someone dies due to another's wrongful act, negligence, or breach of contract.
Read moreFlorida law requires rideshare companies to carry insurance, but gaps exist that leave passengers financially vulnerable in accidents.
Read moreFlorida is the third most dangerous state for cyclists. Learn what to do after a bicycle accident and understand Florida's bicycle laws.
Read moreA guide to product liability law in Florida, explaining defect categories, proof requirements, liable parties, and recoverable damages.
Read moreThe attractive nuisance doctrine and Florida's Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act: when a property owner is liable for injuries to a trespassing child.
Read moreHow Florida's no-fault PIP system and bodily injury coverage work after a car accident, and when an injured person can step outside no-fault to sue.
Read moreWhy a public figure must prove 'actual malice' to win a defamation case under New York Times v. Sullivan, and how that standard works in Florida.
Read moreHow Florida law treats catastrophic injuries, the categories of damages available, and what makes these personal injury claims different from ordinary ones.
Read moreHow Florida courts value non-economic damages such as pain and suffering in a personal injury case, and the factors that raise or lower the amount.
Read morePre-need guardian declarations, testamentary trusts, and UTMA accounts: three ways Florida parents can protect minor children and the assets they inherit.
Read moreHow first-party and third-party special needs trusts let a disabled beneficiary receive support without losing SSI or Medicaid eligibility under federal law.
Read moreFlorida's elective share guarantees a surviving spouse at least 30% of the estate regardless of the will. What it covers, distribution priorities, deadlines, and defenses.
Read moreFlorida's Medicaid Institutional Care Program asset and income limits, the five-year lookback, gifting penalties, and lawful tools like personal-service contracts to qualify.
Read moreComparing C corporations, S corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships in Florida on liability protection, taxation, management, and administrative requirements.
Read moreThe legal grounds for challenging a Florida will — lack of capacity, undue influence, fraud, forgery, and improper execution — plus who may contest and the burden of proof.
Read morePractical estate planning strategies from a Florida attorney: retitling assets to avoid probate, planning for contingencies, choosing fiduciaries, and wills versus trusts.
Read moreFlorida's constitutional homestead protection shields your home from most creditor claims, with key exceptions for mortgages, taxes, and construction liens.
Read moreWhat to do after an accident in a rental car in Florida, how fault and the elements of negligence are proven, and how injured people recover for their damages.
Read moreRented electric standing scooters have brought a wave of injuries to Florida cities. Who is liable when a scooter rider is hurt, and how injured riders and pedestrians recover.
Read moreHow a Florida land trust keeps real estate ownership private, how the trustee-beneficiary structure works, and why pairing it with an LLC strengthens asset protection.
Read moreReal estate can be sold during Florida probate depending on property type, will provisions, and court approval requirements.
Read moreThe elements of a Florida car accident claim and how attorney John Clarke helps accident victims recover for their injuries.
Read moreComprehensive overview of cryptocurrency asset protection strategies, tax implications, and creditor exposure under Florida law.
Read moreNon-citizens owning Florida property face unique estate planning challenges, including federal estate tax exposure and ancillary probate requirements.
Read moreFlorida's homestead tax exemption reduces property assessed value by up to $50,000, lowering property taxes for eligible homeowners.
Read moreFlorida's constitutional homestead provision protects primary residences from creditor seizure, with exceptions for mortgages, taxes, and HOA fees.
Read moreA Florida lady bird deed is an affordable estate planning tool that transfers property to heirs while avoiding probate and retaining homeowner control.
Read moreA revocable living trust allows asset control during lifetime while simplifying post-death transfer and avoiding probate.
Read moreA quitclaim deed is the simplest way to transfer real property interest in Florida, commonly used between parties with existing relationships.
Read moreThe Florida Uniform Transfers to Minors Act provides an easy way to transfer property to minor beneficiaries through custodial accounts.
Read moreFlorida probate timelines vary from one to three months for summary administration to six months to one year for formal administration.
Read moreProbate can often be avoided through proper estate planning using tools like Lady Bird deeds, beneficiary designations, and revocable living trusts.
Read moreThe elements of a Florida motorcycle accident claim and how attorney John Clarke helps injured riders recover for their injuries.
Read moreFort Lauderdale negligent security lawyer John Clarke represents injury victims harmed by inadequate property security measures.
Read moreOffshore Asset Protection Trusts are powerful wealth protection tools established in foreign jurisdictions with superior asset protection laws.
Read moreJoint ownership of property can shield assets from creditors in Florida through structures like tenants by the entirety for married couples.
Read moreA Florida LLC protects members' personal assets from LLC debts and offers charging order protection for multi-member structures.
Read moreProbate is time-consuming and expensive; Florida law offers several low-cost alternatives to avoid it.
Read moreWhen someone dies without a will in Florida, state law determines who inherits the estate and how property is distributed through intestacy rules.
Read moreIf something you read here applies to your situation, John is happy to talk it through. Your first consultation is free.
✓ Free, no-obligation consultation
