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Law Talk

ARE YOU FEELING FINANCIALLY STRESSED?

It’s a New Year and in light of the once-in-a-generation experience of the Covid-19 pandemic, it may be wise to consider reducing your financial stresses with your debts during this new year. Many Americans have unfortunatelylost their jobs or sources of income and have not been able to pay their mortgage or rent, in addition to having to use their credit cards for necessities in order to survive this unprecedented experience. Unfortunately, these stresses can sometimes cause people to become numb or in denial and refuse to face the realities of their situation. Perhaps the following suggestions can help and/or assist those financial concerns to reduce and/or alleviate some or most of your financial issues:

  1. Look in the mirror and face reality. Although it may be difficult, try to bite the bullet and face the reality of your present debts including mortgage, rent, and credit card interest rates.
  2. One step at a time. Once you analyze your personal debt, you should ask yourself how you can pay down your debts and how you incur debt. Acknowledge which of your spending are needs and which are merely wants, which can be postponed.
  3. Create a budget. This is easier said than done, like losing weight and exercising.
  4. Creative sources of cash flow. In light of the pandemic and the “new normal”, are there areas or ways in which you can increase and/or substitute sources of cash flow and/or income, in addition to your present circumstances. Do you spend your time like you use your credit cards or like you use your cash? Please remember that one’s lifeTIME is one resource that never grows as it is continuously being reduced. Choose to spend your money as you would your cash.
  5. If you are at a point where your stress seems unbearable and/or you are overwhelmed and feeling out of control, then the filing of Bankruptcy is sometimes the only way to alleviate the stress and financial burden. It is a lawful method to assist eligible persons under the law and should be considered seriously as it can help you to hold onto your home, retirement accounts, and other valuable properties and assets, in addition to stopping the endless calls from creditors and/or debt collectors.

We are here to help! Whether to provide guidance, education, negotiation, mediation services, or formal legal relief, i.e., bankruptcy filing. Please contact us at 954-755-1500 and view our website at www.broward-lawyer.com. An initial free consultation is always available.


Do I Really Need an Estate Plan?

If you have children or elderly parents, it’s important to have an estate plan in place. Estate planning does not only apply to wealthy individuals; preparing an estate plan is advisable to everyone. Read on to discover a few of the basics you need to know about estate planning.

Plan your estate or the state will do it for you.

If you don’t have an estate plan in place, the state will distribute assets to loved ones according to probate upon your death. This will likely not coincide with your wishes, so it is best to locate estate planning services in Coral Springs to help you and your family prepare.

What is probate?

Probate is the process the court uses to settle an estate upon a person’s passing. It’s an expensive, lengthy process that can take years to complete if an estate plan is not in place.

Why is preparing a will important?

While a will may not completely sidestep the probate process, it will likely make things considerably easier. It serves as a guide for the deceased loved one’s final wishes, so the courts and the executor of the will can have a roadmap to effectively distribute belongings, making the process easier for those involved.

To further streamline the probate process, it’s a good idea to name beneficiaries for financial assets and possessions. Acquiring a real estate attorney in Coral Springs can make the process much easier and more organized, as well.

Power of Attorney

A Power of Attorney enables a person to select a responsible party to handle financial and/or medical decisions should he or she become physically or mentally unable to do so. This may include handing bills and medical expenses, as well as making important medical decisions, so it’s important to choose someone you completely trust.

Death is a difficult topic to deal with, but the reality is that it’s important to have an estate plan in place for loved ones to carry on with minimal chaos upon a loved one’s death. Estate planning is an essential step that provides peace of mind and reassurance for oneself as well as family members.


How Asset Protection Lawyers Can Help You Keep Your Hard-Earned Money

Fortunes don’t build themselves. To reach a level of financial stability requires a lot of time and effort, work that should not go to waste by handing your earnings over to a creditor or lawyer. To avoid losing out on what you’d worked so hard to attain, proper precautions should be in place to protect your assets from seizure from creditors and other judgments against you. This is referred to as asset protection, and with the help of an experienced asset protection lawyer, you can ensure your assets stay where they belong, with you.

When Would Asset Protection Help Me?

Many are unsure about what exactly asset protection is, or assume it strictly applies to prenuptial agreements. While it is true that an asset protection plan will help you retain your hard-earned money through a divorce and during a marriage, it also applies to reducing personal liabilities in business and your overall finances.
In the case that you are in an accident or are responsible for damages, any assets that are unprotected are touchable by the judgment collector. By protecting them, you are able to make it more difficult for them to acquire your property, increasing the odds of a favorable outcome when it comes to the actual judgment.

When Is the Best Time to Create an Asset Protection Plan?

As soon as possible! Asset protection is a long-term financial safeguard, and cannot be used as a quick-fix for pending or impending lawsuits. In order to ensure your assets are exempt from collections, especially in Florida, you need to ensure that proper precautions are in place before any major financial or legal decisions are made, such as a marriage or buying a home with a partner.

Ronald A. Luzim P.A. is a leading family and asset protection lawyer in Florida, and a former estate and tax attorney with the IRS. With over 35 years of experience in the legal field, Ron has refined his skills to offer effective legal consultation with a holistic approach to law. He understands that business and family matters can often overlap, offering effective solutions that allow you to reach the optimal results for your specific situation.


How a Family Lawyer Can Help your Children Through a Divorce

Although it affects them just as much as their parents, children’s needs and feelings are sometimes left out of consideration during the divorce process. When a divorce is hostile or contested, it pulls the child in multiple directions and can be an emotionally confusing time for them. Often divorcees act maliciously to each other without understanding its effect on their children, which makes it incredibly beneficial to work to remove emotion from the situation as much as possible. To ensure that cooler heads prevail, a divorce and family law attorney can be crucial to achieving the best result possible.

When a divorce occurs, the child should primarily be the focus. Asset division, child support, and more are based around providing the best lifestyle possible for the child. Unfortunately, divorces are often incredibly emotionally charged, causing the parents to lose track of what is important. This can lead to decisions being made that are made maliciously towards the significant other as opposed to being for the child’s benefit.

A divorce and family attorney can oversee and help guide negotiations and ensure that the agreement that is reached works for both parents and takes the child’s needs into account. From child support to a visitation schedule, they will work to make sure all laws are followed and that the child can live as normal of a life as possible without emotional interference affecting the rulings. When it comes to the law, cool heads often prevail and can lead to the most beneficial results possible. That is what you can expect from an expert divorce and family law attorney and what makes them incredibly helpful for guiding you and your child through the divorce process.

Ronald A. Luzim P.A. is a family attorney with expert-level experience with divorce law and is also a State Certified Family Mediator. He believes that careful consultation with an emphasis on risk-management, offering options and resolutions, allows clients to find the solution that best suits them. With more than 35 years as an attorney, Ron has the knowledge and expertise to handle any divorce or family law case effectively.


Ron Luzim: A Voice for the Families of Coral Springs

Family is everything, however things are not always so cut and dry. When it comes to legal matters with loved ones and family members, emotion can interfere and cause problems for all parties involved. Prenuptial agreements, asset protection, and divorces are complex in nature and require a skilled hand to guide you through the process. This ensures that you achieve the best results possible, and is why you need a skilled family lawyer by your side.

If your situation escalates past the point of civil conversation being able to resolve your issues, it is likely time to hire a mediator. This will allow you to make well informed decisions, as well as remove emotion from the decision making process so that the right choices are made.

Why You Need to Hire the Right Attorney

In all legal cases, an exceptional lawyer is a necessity to ensure things go as smoothly as possible. In the case of the divorce process, this is even truer. A great lawyer will ask the questions that need to be asked, making a difficult process much easier emotionally and saving you time and money. Division of property is often the most difficult step of the process, and having someone who understands the law and can take a logical approach to solving the situation can prove invaluable.

Ron Luzim is an experienced attorney, mediator, and former accountant who strives to create long term relationships by offering legal consultation, with an emphasis on helping his clients make the best decisions possible. With over 30 years as a family lawyer in Coral Springs, attorney Ron Luzim provides professional, reliable, and helpful consultation to help you through your family legal case. To know about his specialized approach as a divorce lawyer in Coral Springs. Visit: https://www.broward-lawyer.com/


Broward Bar: Family Law Podcast with Ron Luzim

Domestic Violence is always on the news from athletes to even movie stars. Ron Luzim of Ronald Luzim, P.A. stops by to talk about the many lives affected by an ugly divorce and offers real solutions for ailing marriages. Special Guest Legal Panel Hosts: Robin Moselle and Kimberly Gessner

Listen here:


5 Things to Know About Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy

If you are overwhelmed by debt, you’re probably dealing with tons of stress, and you might be wondering about whether bankruptcy is the best option. Before you make a decision, it helps to know a little about what you’re getting into.

 

Bankruptcy can take time.

You’re probably ready for a fresh start, but you should know that it can take some time. The most common form of bankruptcy, Chapter 7, takes an average of four months while others can take two years or longer. Whatever course your attorney advises, you need to be prepared to stick to it and be patient.

 

You’ll probably have to go to court.

Before your claim is processed, you most likely have to go to a court hearing called, “meeting of creditors.” This is usually fairly simple and involves answering a few simple questions. Creditors can also attend and ask you questions.

 

Transparency is important.

Honesty is the best policy when it comes to filing for bankruptcy. Only those who are truthful are allowed a complete discharge of debt. You have to list all of your property, debts, and  creditors. If you fail to do this, you might lose your case and face serious federal charges.

 

There are different types of bankruptcy.

There are four types of bankruptcy: Chapter 7, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, and Chapter 13. Most file Chapter 7 which requires liquidation of your assets to pay the debt. Often times you are allowed to keep some property like you house and car. Chapter 11 is usually for business, Chapter 12 is for family farmers, and Chapter 13 is a debt adjustment. Your attorney can help you better understand your options and determine which is best for you.

 

Bankruptcy stays on your credit for 10 years.

If you have unpaid debt, your credit probably isn’t so great anyway, but it’s still a good idea to know what will happen after bankruptcy. Bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 10 years, but that doesn’t always keep you from getting credit during that period, but will probably result in higher interest rates.

 

These are just some of the many details about filing for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy can be like a life jacket for those drowning in debt, but it isn’t for everyone. Talk to your attorney to learn whether bankruptcy is right for you.


Do I Need a Prenuptial Agreement?

Talking about prenuptial agreements can be a bit touchy. Some might feel that asking for a prenup is as good as telling your soon-to-be spouse that you’re not secure in your relationship. Though it’s understandable that you wouldn’t want to talk about anything even close to being divorce-related, there are some good reasons why having this discussion early can be a good thing.

It helps you think and plan for your future

The process of writing a prenup helps you get things out in the open. You can talk about things like:

  • How your finances will be managed
  • Parenting issues
  • Your estate plan
  • Which property is shared and which isn’t
  • Any other special agreements regarding your marriage

Having this discussion before you marry can help prevent future confusion and conflict. When approached in the right light, with a mutual understanding that having a prenup is a way to plan for your future and not necessarily related to divorce, you might find that having a prenup actually helps your marriage.

It provides security and simplicity

Having a prenuptial agreement is useful even if you don’t get divorced, but if you do find yourself in that situation, you’ll be glad you have one. Prenuptial agreements simplify the divorce process by:

  • Protecting the rights and obligations of both partners
  • Making distribution of property clear and simple
  • Preventing long battles over child custody and other matters
  • Easing divorce-related stress

If you think getting a prenuptial agreement sounds like a good idea, make sure the timing is right. The more time you allow to create a prenup before the marriage, the greater the chances are that it will be affirmed and ratified. Ensure your future spouse that having a prenup is more of a planning tool, and not a sign that you have doubts about your marriage. In fact, it can show your spouse that you care enough about your relationship to consider the tough issues before they become problematic.


No Social Media during Divorce

As going through a divorce has a large emotional component it is natural during this period to want to shout and express your feelings; it even tends to make you feel better getting stuff off your chest. But you have to be careful where and what you share. Social media has become part of our everyday lives and it seems quite normal to express what is happening – whether good or bad! However, it can become a very costly mistake legally and personally.
Your divorce and family law attorney will advise you against broadcasting the details of the divorce process on social media or in public outlets. Anything and everything can be used against you. Complaining about your soon-to-be-ex can suggest you are not able to cooperate with them. Take the time to the think about what you are posting and the possible outcome. Also, consider the following:
• Pictures speak a thousand words – photos can contradict your claims in court. You have said you are broke and cannot afford spousal support but have posted vacation pictures or photos posing with your new car.
• Perfect parent – but you are posting about partying every night or not being active in the child’s life.
• What is published on-line stays on-line – deleting a post from your profile does not necessarily delete it from cyber space. It can come back to haunt you.
• Privacy settings are not always private – anything you post can be shared to your soon-to-be ex by a “friend” or “connection” without you knowing until it is too late.
The rule of thumb is to play it safe and refrain from posting until the divorce is final and if children are involved, do not post about the other parent. Co-parenting/custody cases are “live” and can be assessed at any time until the child turns eighteen.
Ronald A. Luzim understands that each situation is different. He first learns and understands the unique needs of each client and then offers personal service appropriate to each case. He is a former estate and tax attorney with the IRS, has been practicing law since 1974 and specializes not only in divorce, family, and asset protection but also is a Coral Springs real estate lawyer, Coral Springs probate lawyer and Coral Springs bankruptcy lawyer. In addition as a practicing state certified mediator, Ronald brings experience, expertise and empathy to your legal matter. Please contact his Coral Springs office at 954-755-1500 for assistance in protecting yourself, family and property.
There is no substitute for experience.


Purchasing Your Dream Home

House for Sale

Housing prices in Broward, Miami and Palm Beach Counties are on the rise.  Prices in July rose 7.3 percent from the previous year. However, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index the average price is down 28% from the all-time high in December 2006. This data is for single family homes as condo sales are not included.

So why the change?  The economy is growing, more people are working and home sellers are making improvements to properties.  Upgrades to kitchens and bathrooms are the biggest selling features to potential home buyers.  They are willing to wait for the full package which includes the condition of the home, location and price.

Sometimes home buyers think with their emotions after finding their dream house.  Important price tag items such as home owner’s insurance, property taxes, utilities and furnishings are overlooked but can be the difference in affording a monthly mortgage.

A real estate attorney can be your best friend during this emotional and stressful time especially in light of the significant changes in the law as of October 3, 2015 regarding residential real estate closings involving mortgage financing.  Their job is to work for you with your best interest in mind.  They will review the purchase agreements, perform extensive title searches to ensure a clear title and explain what will happen if something does not go as planned. There will be no surprises when you are handed the keys at closing.

There is no standard real estate transaction.  Each situation is different.  Ronald A. Luzim understands this and works with his clients to offer personal service for each case.  He is a former estate and tax attorney with the IRS, has been practicing law since 1974 and specializes not only in real estate but also probate and in asset protection and bankruptcy, Ronald is a Coral Springs probate lawyer, Coral Springs bankruptcy lawyer and Coral Springs family and divorce lawyer. In addition, as a practicing state certified family and civil mediator for over 25 years Ronald brings experience, expertise and empathy to your legal matter.  Please contact his Coral Springs office at 954 755 1500 for assistance in protecting yourself, your family and your property.

There is no substitute for experience.