Asset Protection

Does A Trust Need to Be Recorded, Filed or Registered in Florida?

Published on: October 18, 2017 | by Rarick & Bowden Gold

Does A Trust Need to Be Recorded, Filed or Registered in Florida?

One of the most common questions I get as a Weston estate planning attorney is, do I need to record my living trust? Some persons believe that a trust needs to be publicly recorded like a corporation or a deed. This is generally wrong; not only is recording not required or needed for most trusts, in most cases recording would negate one of the chief benefits of a trust: confidentiality. Let’s look at more specific questions.

Does a Living Revocable Trust Need To Be Recorded During the Life of the Trustmaker?

EXPLORING IMMIGRATION OPTIONS

Published on: October 11, 2017 | by Rarick & Bowden Gold

Exploring Immigration Options: The Best Visas for Investors, Executives & Skilled Workers

by: Elizabeth Blandon, Board-Certified Immigration Attorney

For investors, business executives and skilled workers, there are several excellent immigration programs available that can help you to live and work in the United States –in most cases you will also be able to bring your immediate family members.

7 Smart Tips For Hurricane Irma Insurance Claims – And 5 Traps

Published on: September 12, 2017 | by Rarick & Bowden Gold

By Phil Rarick, J.D.

7 TIPS

1. Before You Clean Up Document Your Losses

5 Reasons Nevada Is Best State For Asset Protection Trust

Published on: June 12, 2016 | by Rarick & Bowden Gold

By Phillip B. Rarick, Esq., Miami Trust Attorney

State laws provide numerous legal opportunities for protecting your family’s hard earned wealth. See my recent article: Asset Protection for the Small Business Owner: 7 Key Strategies.

An important domestic strategy is a Domestic Asset Protection Trust or DAPT. Because of the ever more stringent IRS reporting requirements for off-shore entities, DAPT’s are becoming a popular asset protection tool. See Hybrid Asset Protection Trust

FBAR Filing Deadline is June 30; Summary of Reporting Requirements for Off-Shore Assets

Published on: June 5, 2016 | by Rarick & Bowden Gold

By Phil Rarick, Weston Estate Planning Attorney

This report is a reminder that the FBAR or Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Account is due June 30. The FBAR is required for U.S. persons having a financial interest or signature authority over one or more foreign financial accounts, including a bank account, brokerage account, mutual fund, trust, estate, pension, cash value life insurance, or other type of foreign financial account having an aggregate value over $10,000 at any time during 2015.

Note: A U.S. person may have a reporting obligation even though the foreign financial account does not generate any taxable income.

Should I have Separate LLC’s For Protecting Each Investment Property?

Published on: April 18, 2016 | by Rarick & Bowden Gold

By Phil Rarick, Weston Business Attorney

Here is a Big Red Flag: bundling multiple investment properties in the same LLC. This is a mistake we are seeing more and more often: a real estate investor has six condo rental homes; all rental homes are owned by the same LLC. This investor has essentially defeated the purpose of the LLC. A slip and fall claim on one of the properties would expose all six to the claim.

Bundling multiple investment properties in one LLC

5 Warning Signs That A Trust Is Not Performing

Published on: September 29, 2015 | by Rarick & Bowden Gold

By Phil Rarick, Esq.

The sole reason most trusts exist is to serve the needs of the beneficiaries. It is not an employment program for the trustee or any other person. Therefore, a core test for whether a trust is performing – and performing efficiently – is to examine whether the needs of the beneficiaries are being met as instructed by the trust, and whether the purposes of the trust are being fulfilled.

If you are a beneficiary of a trust, here are some warning signs that a trust is not performing in an efficient way to meet your needs:

Business Dispute Resolution without War

Published on: August 18, 2015 | by Rarick & Bowden Gold

By Phil Rarick, Esq.

Here is a simple fact: most small businesses cannot afford or even survive a major dispute between partners if the dispute ends up in court. Such disputes can doom the small business due to interruption of the company business, distract the principal partners from focusing on growth, and soak up all capital needed to sustain the company.

The following are 5 Take Away Points for avoiding court intervention in your business:

Securing Payment of Child Support with a Children’s Safe Harbor Trust

Published on: August 18, 2015 | by Rarick & Bowden Gold

By: Phillip B. Rarick, Esq.

Most divorce judgments call for one of the parties to obtain a life insurance policy for securing the payment of child support, alimony or some other financial obligation. Let’s assume the obligation is solely child support: a potential mistake is failure to secure payment of the policy premiums by use of an irrevocable Children’s Safe Harbor Trust structured as a spendthrift trust.

For securing the payment of child support, the settlement agreement should have specific language that may read as follows:

Florida Trust Services For Family Law Attorneys

Published on: August 9, 2015 | by Rarick & Bowden Gold

By Phil Rarick, Esq., Miami Trust Attorney

Family law attorneys are increasingly using trusts to secure and safeguard the payment of financial obligations in their marital settlement agreements. Such trusts can provide the following key benefits:

Security that payments will be made in a timely fashion