An offshore bank account is a depository account maintained at a bank outside the United States. Offshore bank accounts are viewed by many as an exotic tool for privacy and tax avoidance—and only for the very wealthy. But actually an offshore bank account can be a useful tool for asset protection planning for people with…
Can creditors take your bitcoin? Many people believe cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, might be the holy grail of asset protection. They think that cryptocurrency cannot be garnished or seized by a judgment creditor, and they think that cryptocurrency holdings are confidential assets that debtors do not have to disclose bitcoin to creditors. Alas, cryptocurrency may…
Several people in the last week have asked whether a judgment creditor can garnish their stimulus check. The latest COVID relief bill provides some people with up to $1,400 per person, plus an additional amount for having dependents. Once deposited into your bank account, this money is not safe from garnishment. Prior COVID relief bills…
Federal agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission often pursue individuals for violations of consumer and investor protection laws. The FTC frequently enforces laws regulating telephone or email marketing, and the SEC enforces rules concerning money solicitation for investment. Federal agency statutes give the enforcement divisions enhanced collection tools not…
Judgment debtors often discover that a creditor’s judgment includes substantial amounts of money accrued or incurred after the court issued the judgment. These post-judgment charges can include attorneys fees awarded to the creditor’s attorney. Florida law authorizes a court to award attorneys fees where either a Florida statute provides for attorneys fees in certain legal…
One of our clients is concerned about his personal liability as the beneficiary of a land trust. The client owns several rental properties in various Florida counties. The client wanted to protect confidentiality of his property ownership, and for that reason he took purchased each property in the name of a separate Florida land trust….
Irrevocable trusts provide excellent asset protection for trust beneficiaries. Protection is codified in Florida statutes. Florida statute protect a beneficiary’s interests in irrevocable trusts that are either spendthrift trusts or discretionary trust. Florida statutes states that a a creditor cannot reach or force assignment of a debtor’s beneficial interest in a spendthrift trust. A spendthrift…
Florida Statute 222.11 prohibits a creditor from garnishing the earnings of a debtor who qualifies as head of household. Florida residents working in another state are unable to enforce this garnishment exemptions in foreign state courts because the law does not permit debtors to export Florida’s exemptions. But, is the reverse also true? Can the…
In general, personal property acquired jointly by spouses in Florida is presumed to be owned as tenants by entireties. However, the rules can get tricky when it comes to opening a tenants by entireties bank account. There are many instances of people who incorrectly believed they had established exempt joint marital bank accounts and later…
Credit card debt is a primary factor leading to personal bankruptcy in Florida. Consumers facing job loss or medical bills often find themselves indebted to several credit card companies. These credit card creditors typically act aggressively to collect unpaid credit card bills. They may contract with professional debt collectors or file lawsuits against their credit…
