It is a well-worn cliche among Florida estate planning lawyers that the concept of “Homestead” is a “legal chameleon,” in which there are three different meanings for the term. The first is the tax exemption that homeowners are entitled to. The second is the “devise and descent” rules – in which there is a prohibition… Read More
Utah Woman Loses Home over $68 Dental Bill Might Get Another Chance — This could never have happened in Florida
This is an old story, but it’s new to me. I stumbled upon it because there was a recent update on The Consumerist. The best summary of the case that I’ve seen is here, on Good Morning America’s Website, in a story from May, 2008. Apparently, in 1995, Sonya Ramos took her daughter to the… Read More
The three “types” of Homestead in Florida, Part II (A) — Protection from Creditors
This is the second of three (actually four) posts regarding the different “types” of Homestead in Florida. In my previous post on the subject, I discussed “descent and “distribution,” in which the state sets forth the rules governing the situations in which your Homestead may, and may not be disposed of upon your death. Today,… Read More
The Three Types Of Homestead in Florida: Type 1 — “Descent and Distribution” of your Property upon Death
If you live in Florida and own your own home, you have probably heard of the term “Homestead.” Most people in Florida think of Homestead in terms of their real property taxes — both in the exemption from taxes that they receive, and the amount by which their taxes can be raised each year. In… Read More
