Insights & Updates
Plain-English notes on Florida estate planning, probate, Medicaid, and the law changes that affect your family.
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September 8, 2026
The Estate Plan That Was Perfect in 1989
A will drafted decades ago, never updated, froze one family's inheritance for seven years. Here is the cascade, and the review that stops it.
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August 19, 2026
What Went Wrong: The Two Words That Froze a Trust
An Oregon couple wrote 'joint lives' into their trust four times and never said what happens after the first death. Six years in court, and Florida's answer.
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August 19, 2026
I Audited My Own Tax Calculator and Found Two Bugs
A calculator I published had two errors in the same deduction. My tests passed anyway. Here is why they passed, and the check that would have caught it.
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August 18, 2026
When Your Real Estate Stops Being Real Estate
Deed a building into an LLC and you no longer own real estate. Here is what that quietly breaks in a Florida estate plan, and the doors it opens.
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August 18, 2026
What Went Wrong: The Trust That Said Male
A 1970 family trust excluded granddaughters with one word, and fixing it took 54 years, three courts, and a 1978 affidavit nobody remembered signing.
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August 18, 2026
What Went Wrong: The Trust That Paid Every Bill
He owed $16,000 a month in alimony and stopped paying while family trusts covered every bill he had. A Florida court let his former wife garnish the trusts.
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August 18, 2026
What Went Wrong: The Accountings That Never Came
A Florida trustee never prepared a single accounting. When the beneficiary finally sued, the court capped his look back at four years. Waiting has a price.
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August 18, 2026
What Went Wrong: The Missing Second Witness
Everyone agreed what Ralph wanted. His trust amendment left the Bradenton house to a friend, but only one witness signed, and no Florida court could fix it.
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August 18, 2026
What Went Wrong: The $12 Million Swiss Inheritance
A Boca Raton man's inherited Swiss accounts drew $12.5 million in willful FBAR penalties. Two appeals trimmed $300,000. What the Schwarzbaum saga teaches.
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August 18, 2026
What Went Wrong: One Word in a Lady Bird Deed
A real Florida appeal where one word in a lady bird deed, grantor for grantee, took a bench trial and an appeal to fix. What it teaches about DIY deed forms.
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August 18, 2026
What Went Wrong: The Account in the Dog's Name
He held a Swiss account under his dog's name, signed an IRS closing agreement, and paid. The IRS repudiated it anyway. What the Niksich FBAR appeal teaches.
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June 21, 2026
$15M Estate Tax Exemption: What It Means for Florida
Congress made the $15 million federal estate tax exemption permanent for 2026. Here is what that change does, and does not, mean for Florida families.
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June 21, 2026
Florida Medicaid Numbers 2026: Income & Asset Limits
The 2026 Florida long-term-care Medicaid figures: the $2,982 income cap, $2,000 asset limit, $162,660 spousal allowance, and the home-equity limit.
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June 21, 2026
After a Parent Dies in Florida: What's Urgent, and What Can Wait
When a parent dies in Florida, almost nothing has to happen today. Here is what is actually urgent in the first days, what can wait, and what not to touch yet.
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June 21, 2026
Hurricane Season: Florida Documents to Have Ready
Hurricane season is the nudge Florida families need: a durable power of attorney, health care directives, and an up-to-date will. How to get ready fast.
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