Entries by Adam

Asset Protection in Florida Divorce: Why Physicians and Attorneys May Want to Keep Retirement Accounts Over Brokerage Accounts

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At a Glance In Florida, retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs get asset protection from creditors under state law, while general brokerage and other accounts do not, which matters when high-liability professionals are deciding what to keep during equitable distribution in a divorce. Florida Statute 222.21(2)(a) exempts qualified retirement funds from creditor claims Brokerage and […]

Divorce 101 Video: How is Child Support Calculated in Florida?

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At a Glance Florida calculates child support using a guideline formula inFlorida Statutes § 61.30 that looks mainly at both parents’ income, the number of overnights each parent has with the children, and specific expenses like health insurance and daycare. The formula combines both parents’ income, overnights, and certain expenses to set a presumptive support […]

How to Keep a High Asset Divorce Private in Florida

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At a Glance A high asset divorce in Florida can often stay far more private through Collaborative Divorce, since sensitive financial information can be handled outside the public court file instead of becoming part of it. Traditional divorce litigation often places financial affidavits, business records as part of evidence, and other sensitive documents into the […]

How Do I Adopt My Grandchild in Florida?

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At a Glance Are you wondering, “How do I adopt my grandchild?”  This blog post discusses how you can adopt your grandchild in Florida through an uncontested Chapter 63 close relative adoption when the child’s parents consent, or when there is no active objection to the adoption moving forward. Florida treats grandparent adoptions as “close […]

Divorce 101: How Does Alimony Work in a Florida Divorce?

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Key Takeaways Florida alimony is based primarily on two questions: whether one spouse has a need for support and whether the other spouse has the ability to pay. Florida law also considers factors such as the length of the marriage, the marital standard of living, each spouse’s contributions, and future earning ability. Florida now has […]

Are Florida Divorce Records Public? How Your Divorce Lawyer Could Be Exposing Your Financial Information to Competitors.

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Key Takeaways Yes. Generally speaking, divorce records and financial information filed in a traditional Florida Divorce, including financial affidavits, become part of the public court file. Business owners, physicians, executives, lawyers, and other professionals should carefully consider whether public financial disclosures could expose sensitive business information to competitors, clients, employees, vendors, or investors. Done correctly, […]

Birth Certificate Amendments and Corrections: When You May Need a Legal Name Change in Florida

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Summary A mismatch between your birth certificate and other legal documents can create problems when renewing a Florida driver’s license or government-issued identification card. Some birth certificate issues cannot be fixed with existing paperwork alone. In some cases, a legal name change may be needed before a birth certificate can be corrected. Regardless of where […]

What is Equitable Distribution in Florida?

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If you are going through divorce in Florida, one of the first financial questions is simple but important: What happens to your assets and debts? In Florida, this is called equitable distribution. It is the process of dividing marital assets and marital debts in divorce. For many professionals, business owners, executives, and high-net-worth families, this […]

What Is Collaborative Divorce? 3 Defining Elements.

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Collaborative Divorce in Florida: The 3 Defining Elements That Make It Different Collaborative Divorce in Florida is not just any peaceful divorce, private negotiation, or settlement-minded process. It has three defining elements: Each spouse has a separate Collaborative attorney; The spouses sign a written Participation Agreement; and The Participation Agreement includes a disqualification clause that […]