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Probate Basics
The legal distribution of assets and property left by someone who has died is called 'probate.' It is a process of law, involving government and courts, that ensures proper and legal distribution of their assets. Even if the deceased person had a legal will, pr...
Understanding Wills and Trusts
A will is a written document that defines how your assets will be distributed after you die. Trusts are legal arrangements that involve a separate legal entity to hold and distribute assets -- during your life, after your life, or both. As an alternative to wills, t...
Bankruptcy Basics
Bankruptcy is a set of legally-defined ways for individuals or businesses to settle debts without full payment, by following rules that govern their assets and financial actions for a period of time. There are two broad types, liquidation and reorganization. Under l...
Bankruptcy Protection
When a person or business concludes that meeting their debts is not realistic, they may file for bankruptcy in Federal Bankruptcy court. A bankruptcy filing places an automatic stay on debt-related actions and judgements, including wage garnishment -- court-orde...
Landlord Rights & Responsibilities
A landlord owns property that is rented or leased to someone else - the 'tenant' or 'lessee.' Both responsibilities and rights for landlords are defined by law - usually state and local codes in the US. Responsibilities for landlords may cover property, contract, an...
Rent-To-Own Agreements
Picture this agreement between two players in a board game: 'If you land on my property 10 times, pay $5 more each time, and then you can buy it for $200.' The first player still owns the property for those 10 turns, but the second player has secured a set pri...
Alternatives To Litigation
While there's no concrete answer to how long a lawsuit process might take in court, US cases take over a year on average, and cases running 5 or more years are not unheard of. The load of cases before state courts has increased over time, and staffing has not. Stati...
When Would I Need A Courtesy Closing?
Both buyers and sellers look forward to closing on their homes, but what happens if there's a problem and either party can't get to the location where the closing is held? In cases like these,
Underwater homeowners could face extra tax burden in 2014
By
Closing Disclosure Form (HUD1) – FORM
New forms, new ways for Fort Myers and Cape Coral Closings. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued new rules nationwide for closing loans. The new rules and forms will allow consumers to better understand what they are getting into in terms of the lo...