For most people, the most valuable asset they own is their home. Particularly in the last few years, the rising values of real property have led to homeowners having hundreds of thousands of dollars in home equity. If someone sues you, whether they can take your house depends on the…
People facing a civil judgment often try to protect non-exempt cash by investing it in a Florida homestead. Some debtors seek advantage of the unlimited value of Florida’s Constitutional homestead exemption by buying a new, expensive parcel of raw land and immediately converting the new property to a protected homestead….
The Florida Constitution protects a person’s homestead from forced levy or sale by judgment creditors. The protection applies if the home is occupied by either the judgment debtor or the debtor’s family. In other words, a judgment debtor can exempt from forced sale any residence in Florida in which a…
Inheritance of a Florida homestead is fast and easy. A Florida homestead is not subject to probate. Probate proceedings involve only assets subject to creditor claims. The Florida homestead is exempt from creditors, so it is not part of the probate estate. Therefore, title to a Florida homestead transfers to…
Many Russian oligarchs own homes in Florida. Even Vladimir Putin himself this week called out Russians “who have a villa in Miami or the French Riviera.” A reporter called me this week and asked if Florida’s constitutional homestead protection could allow Russian oligarchs who own property in Florida to evade…
A recent client wanted to know if he would lose his homestead protection by temporarily renting out his homestead property to a tenant. In Florida, a judgment debtor’s homestead is absolutely protected from creditors. There is no monetary cap on the amount of the protected homestead, however the protection is…
A recent Florida bankruptcy case, In re De Bauer, examined when a non-citizen, or foreigner, could qualify for the Florida homestead protection. The Florida homestead is one of the most powerful asset protection tools for judgment debtors. The Florida constitution exempts an unlimited amount of equity in a debtor’s homestead,…
Florida’s homestead exemption has been interpreted to provide protection not only for the physical homestead property, but also for both the cash and non-cash proceeds from a voluntary sale of the homestead as well. A financial account comprised of homestead sale proceed has often been described as a “homestead account.”…
Some clients are unsure what happens to their Florida homestead if they do not have a will. In some situations, a decedent’s only substantial asset was their homestead. When someone dies without a will they are said to have died intestate. A person’s homestead in Florida generally passes free and…
Technology has made it easier for people to operate a business at or next to their primary residence. Operating a commercial venture on the property where you reside raises issues about Florida’s homestead exemption from creditors. The issue is whether a Florida resident can operate a commercial business on his…
