Author Archives: Jay Butchko
“Just Say No” to Get Medicaid Benefits for Your Spouse in Florida
For lower income individuals without insurance or the means to pay for medical care, even a simple health concern could turn into a major emergency. To cover their needs and prevent vulnerable people from going without treatment because of financial constraints, the federal government established the Medicaid program in 1965. Those who qualify under… Read More »
4 Florida Intestacy Laws Should Convince You to Prioritize Estate Planning
Many Floridians put off making a will, some avoid it for a reason, and still others think they do not need one considering their financial or family situation. Even if you fall into one of these categories, you still probably know the benefits of making a will. However, rather than reiterate the advantages, a… Read More »
How Your Estate Plan Can Reduce Adult Sibling Rivalry
My mother came from a large extended family full of long standing rifts. For most of my life, she didn’t speak to her oldest sister who lived across from us and that sister didn’t speak to the youngest one who was her next door neighbor. It is a family joke that she would suddenly… Read More »
Is Florida Collaborative Divorce the Right Fit for Me?
Ending your marriage is a challenging, emotional life event, but divorcing couples do have options for making the process relatively smooth and stress-free. One strategy to consider is proceeding under Florida’s Collaborative Law Process Act, which can be more amicable for the parties. A collaborative divorce can effectively work for couples with children (young… Read More »
Overview of Florida Law on Grandparent Visitation Rights
A divorce is technically the dissolution of a marriage between two spouses, but the reality is that the case impacts entire families. Many grandparents are justified in having concerns about their ability to see their grandchildren, particularly where they did not get along well with their own child’s spouse or that person wants to… Read More »
Debunking 3 Common Myths About Florida Estate Planning
Estate planning is not a topic that most Floridians think about regularly, perhaps because they see it as morbid and depressing to confront your own mortality. There are countless individuals who take this view, but there are many others who may avoid making a will, creating a trust, or executing powers of attorney because… Read More »
4 Types of Trusts to Consider in Your Florida Estate Plan
Trusts can play an important role in anyone’s estate plan, regardless of your financial net worth. Even individuals with moderate wealth want to seek certain objectives and deal with circumstances that a will alone cannot properly address. A recent article published by Forbes describes some of the goals that trusts can help you achieve… Read More »
Florida Estate Planning for Millennials and Young Adults
Some Millennials and young adults do not make estate planning a priority because they mistakenly believe that you must be wealthy or old – or both – to even think about developing a strategy. Results of a survey conducted by Caring.com, an online resource for information about issues facing aging adults, prove this point…. Read More »
Long-Term Health Care in Florida Estate Planning: A Look at Your Options
Floridians of all ages understand the importance of creating a solid estate plan, including a will, powers of attorney, trusts, and other documents appropriate for their unique family situations. However, many overlook one critical aspect of an estate plan: Long-term health care. Statistics about long-term care in the US from Morningstar, Inc., an online… Read More »
New Law on IRAs May Affect Your Florida Estate Plan
Whether you are still working or already retired, you may need to review and make adjustments to your existing Florida estate plan under a new federal law that went into effect in January 2020. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act implements key changes to many retirement plans and the rules… Read More »
