Archive for July, 2010

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I made it!

Friday, July 30th, 2010

 I don’t normally like it when someone toots their own horn, but I received some great news this week that I would love to share.

I am now Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates!  This Certification is through The Florida Bar.  Of the 90,000 or so attorneys who are licensed in this state, approximately 4,300 are certified in one of 24 areas of law.  Certification is the highest level of evaluation by The Florida Bar of competency and experience within an area of law, and professionalism and ethics in practice.

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Probate Courts enter the 21st Century

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

The Florida Supreme Court recently approved the electronic filing of probate documents in 44 counties in Florida.  These counties include Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco and Manatee Counties.  Pinellas County has not yet submitted in documentation for electronic filing.  It is thought that the use of technology in this regard will streamline the court process as well as reduce time and expense related to the court systems. 

Interestingly, anyone who files a document by electronic transmission is still required to file the identical document with an original signature.  This “double” filing may be eliminated in the future as counties work out the kinks in their electronic filing process.

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Possible Estate Tax Movement?

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Democrat Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Republican Jon Kyl of Arizona hope to attach a new estate tax bill to a small business lending bill pending in the Senate. Their bill would set the top estate tax rate at 35 percent, with a personal tax exemption of $5 million, indexed to inflation.

The Senate, as part of a nonbinding budget resolution, voted last year in favor of a proposal similar to the one pushed by Lincoln and Kyl. The House, however, voted to extend the 2009 rates, and the two sides were unable to reach an agreement.

The Senate is expected to take up the small business lending bill next week, though leaders have not indicated whether they will allow a vote on the estate tax as part of the debate.

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