Many people in Florida choose to include trusts as part of their estate plan. A trust can be a useful vehicle for passing on your assets to loved ones or a favorite charity upon your death. Trusts are overseen by a trustee named in the trust document. The following...
Year: 2020
Federal judge temporarily halts immigration fee hikes
Just recently on the blog we discussed drastic rate hikes for many immigration fees that were set to begin on October 2nd. These fees were bound to have a profound impact on those seeking various immigration statuses, everything from citizenship to asylum. Those who...
When should I think about updating my estate plan?
Creating a customized estate plan that is tailored to the needs and goals of the estate planner is an important step to take. Equally important, yet sometimes overlooked, is the necessity to regularly update an estate plan to keep up with the changes in the estate...
How does someone deal with a visa denial?
Applying for a visa from the U.S. Embassy or Consulate requires completing the necessary application and providing all required documents. Not every visa application turns out as expected; the applicant may suffer a denial, leaving relatives or friends in Florida...
When can someone contest a will?
A last will and testament may seemingly reflect the deceased wishes, but family members, business partners, and others could be unhappy with its text. In Florida, laws exist to establish a process for contesting a will. Disagreeing with the deceased's wishes won't be...
The path to gaining lawful permanent resident status for a foreign spouse living abroad
With current backlogs and other restrictions in the immigration process in the United States, an I-30 petition, which is filed by an American citizen seeking to sponsor his or her non-citizen spouse, is taking roughly five months to be approved. On the surface level,...
Sports team files lawsuit in immigration case
Companies in Florida may sponsor an employee for a green card, and if they disagree with the decision of federal immigration officials, they may file a lawsuit. This was the action taken by Hockey Western New York LLC, which owns the Buffalo Sabres, after a green card...
U.S. immigration fees going up in near future
Recently, the United State Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that immigration fees are set to increase on Oct. 2. Overall, fees will increase an average of 20%, but some types of fees will increase more. Fees for visas for traveling artists and groups are...
What to know about being an executor
An executor, also known as a Personal Representative in Florida is responsible for managing a deceased person’s debts and assets during probate. The Personal Representative is also responsible for transferring assets to beneficiaries in accordance with a deceased...
Understanding the difference between wills and trusts
Many Florida residents are familiar with the term "probate," which is the process by which a person’s assets are distributed after death, either in accordance with that person’s will or as provided for by the law in the absence of a will. Probate is done in court, and...