It May Pay to Get Cheated On
Reminiscent of an Ally McBeal episode, just a few weeks ago, a North Carolina man sued his ex-wife's lover and was awarded $750,000. The man, Robert Kevin [...]
Sometimes They Get It Right – Florida Open Permit Law Changes
Last month, the Florida statute has been amended to provide a clearer process for property owners to close out old, expired permits. There are several noteworthy provisions; [...]
Sin Protection, Should Your Company Hold Disgrace Insurance?
Reputations are fragile, to say the least. Pervasive videos and social media, supercharged by #MeToo, can result in high-profile disasters (think Kevin Spacey, Roseanne and Lori Laughlin) [...]
To Be or Not to Be – Assisted Suicide aka Death with Dignity
America is such a large country; it makes sense to me that the individual states differ. We even have a name for when state and federal laws [...]
Florida E-Notarization?
Well, it’s happening guys. I guess it was only a matter of time, but Florida has moved one step closer to digitizing documents and we now have [...]
What Can Be Learned from Gloria Vanderbilt’s Estate Plan
Gloria Vanderbilt, the railroad fortune heiress, left most of the Vanderbilt fortune to her youngest son, Anderson Cooper. On a personal note, I just love Cooper’s giggle, [...]
Oops We Did It Again – We’re Expecting….
Yet ANOTHER attorney to join our firm!! We're so fortunate and honored to welcome Mr. Jeffrey Homer as an of counsel attorney to the Law Offices of [...]
Breaking News – Aretha Franklin Had Three Wills
Hang on to your hats people, Aretha Franklin had THREE Wills! If you recall, I recently wrote an especially titillating article about how the Queen of Soul passed away [...]
Here We Go Again(ish) – What Can We Learn from John Singleton’s Estate?
The Boys N' The Hood director passed away on Monday, April 29, 2019 with an estate estimated at $35M and a Will from 1993. Although a Will [...]
Estate Planning, a Family Affair
It happens sometimes. Not to me, because I have the BEST clients ever, that read my crazy newsletters diligently (love you too baby)! But my estate planning lawyer [...]
We’re Expecting….
Another attorney to join our firm! LOL, I couldn't resist. We're fortunate and honored to welcome Mr. Michael Abrams as an of counsel attorney to the Law [...]
Chill, We Have a Trust for Cryonics
Cryonics is the practice of deep-freezing recently dead bodies in the hope that scientific advances will allow them to be revived in the future. The next logical [...]
Blackbeard’s Blockchain
If this story is reminiscent of Pirate treasures buried in the Caribbean in the 17th Century, that's because it is. The booty, in this case, cryptocurrency and [...]
Could a “Private Sexual Oasis” Increase Your Property Value?
You can’t make this stuff up. A house in Philadelphia, listed for $750,000, features pictures that strongly resemble a sex dungeon. The description demurely referred to the [...]
What Can Be Learned from Mac Miller’s Estate Plan
Malcolm McCormick, known and adored by fans as Mac Miller, the rap artist, passed away on September 7 with an estate estimated at 14 million dollars. The [...]
Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin Got Married… Without a Prenup
Although they both reached out to lawyers for a prenup, Justin and Hailey contacted their attorneys the very same day that they got hitched. There’s no way [...]
When Disinheritance Is a Good Thing – the Last Will and Testament of Burt Reynolds
Hollywood star Burt Reynolds intentionally left his son, Quinton, out of his will, but it doesn’t appear to be due to bad blood. The actor known for [...]
What Can Be Learned From George and Barbara Bush’s Estate Plans
George H.W. Bush’s death, less than eight months after his wife’s does not feel like a surprise. We often see the death of a longtime married couple [...]
Who’s Your Daddy?
What happens when a self-made millionaire leaves most of his fortune to his son, only for a paternity test to reveal there was no biological relation between [...]
Law and Wills – Celebrity Victims Unit
In the estate planning process, beneficiary designation mistakes are considered especially costly. In Florida, dedicated attorneys who handle wills, trusts and probate matters are members of an [...]
Why Every Realtor Should Have an Established Attorney-Relationship
I was recently speaking with a new friend, a realtor, and she was telling me an all too familiar tale. There was a deal, it was going [...]
Aretha Franklin Had No Estate Plan
Five people reached out to me to let me know that the Queen of Soul passed away intestate, without a will or trust. You guys are reading [...]
What Can We Learn From Anthony Bourdain’s Estate Plan?
Anthony Bourdain not only loved to explore but also made it a point to inspire others to travel. In his Last Will and Testament, he specifically bequeathed [...]
Death Disrupted: New Technologies to Digitize Life
I spend a lot of my day talking about and planning for death. Until now, it’s been an inevitability of life. However, a la Black Mirror, artificial [...]
Navigating the Trust Agreement Highway
Just like cars, there are many different types of trusts out there for you to select. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the concept, here [...]
Credit Card Debt After Death
One of the most common question I’m asked is, “what happens to my loved-one’s credit card debt when they pass away? More importantly, will it be my [...]
Does Your Trust Need a Facelift?
Hey, we do live in South Florida. But seriously, I come across many trusts created in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s where life was slower, and [...]
Prince’s Estate is a Mess
There’s no other way to say it. Almost two years after the legendary singer died, Prince’s estate is more convoluted than ever. To the best of our [...]
Do Not Resuscitate Tattoo
Just when you think you’ve seen it all….an unconscious patient was brought into a Miami emergency room with the words “Do Not Resuscitate” tattooed across his chest. [...]
Family Holiday Discussions
I'm often asked how to prevent family squabbles once a loved-one passes away. Surprisingly, the answer is to ensure a common understanding of the estate plan. Even [...]
The Worst State to Die In 2017 (from a state death tax perspective)
There are currently 18 states plus the District of Columbia that impose either an estate or inheritance tax or both. Nine of those states are introducing death [...]
A Text Message is No Substitute for a Will
It appears that a gentleman in Queensland, Australia, wrote out a text distributing his property to this brother and nephew and disinheriting his wife and son. He [...]
Bit by Bit – Bitcoin and South Florida Real Estate
Bitcoin is considered the first decentralized digital currency and with or without us, it's already a global phenomenon. Most people that I know want to invest in [...]
Hugh Hefner: An Estate Planning Role Model
In case you haven’t heard, Hugh Hefner “Hef”, the publisher of Playboy Magazine, died last month, at the age of ninety-one. Although his Will was not made [...]
We’ve Moved!!!
Our office has expanded and we moved to our brand new location! Come visit us at 33 NE 2nd Street, Suite 100 in Fort Lauderdale.
National Will Registry Is on the Way
Although Florida has adopted its own code provisions regarding the practice and procedure for admitting lost or destroyed Wills into probate (see Florida Probate Rule 5.510), a [...]
Record Deed Scam – Useless Documents
After recording a deed, I tell my clients to look out for mailings that may look official, but are really a scam. The victims of the deed [...]
Video Shoot in California
We ventured out to Orange County for a video shoot....Hollywood, here we come!
Testimonial on a Monday Morning
I came into the office this morning to the nicest email. Although a testimonial, I couldn't resist posting it as this is what makes our job as [...]
Estate Planning for Same-Sex Unions in Florida
The US Supreme Court, in United States v. Windsor, 133 S. Ct. 2675 (2013) recently held that for purposes of applying federal law, same-sex married couples residing [...]
Our Firm is Growing!
It's with a great deal of pleasure and excitement that I announce my purchase of the Law Offices of McVeigh & Matlack of Wilton Manors. Linda Matlack [...]
What’s Portability?
More than a fancy word, there are two portability programs I discuss frequently with folks: 1. The Florida Portability Transfer of Homestead, where beginning in 2008 Florida [...]
Estate Planning with Religion in Mind
According to many surveys, 95 percent of Americans believe in G-d or some type of higher power. While some define religion as a belief in G-d, not [...]
What’s Better, a Will or a Trust?
As an estate planning attorney, I’m often asked, "How do I know if I need a trust as opposed to a will?" Many people assume that Trusts [...]
Who Will Watch Over Johnny?
As every parent knows, life happens. Things that cannot be predicted happen and all that we can do sometimes is be prepared for whatever life throws our [...]
Power of Attorney – Attorney In Fact / Agent Acceptance
I was recently asked the following question from a fellow attorney, “I have general power of attorney that isn’t signed/accepted by the attorney-in-fact/agent. Doesn’t the agent have [...]
Can You Disinherit Your Spouse?
I get asked this question a lot. The general rule is that in your Last Will and Testament, you can dictate who gets your property after your [...]
What’s a Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT)
What's a Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT) A grantor retained annuity trust is an effective estate planning tool that has a number of advantages over other techniques. [...]
Power of Attorney Revocation
I was recently contacted by a client going through a divorce and wondering how he can revoke his Power of Attorney (PoA) naming his soon-to-be ex wife. [...]
Reasons to Create a Trust
A well-crafted estate plan often includes a Trust. As flexible and powerful tools, Trusts allow us to gain greater control over how assets pass are passed on [...]
Types of Trusts Available
There are many types of trusts available; each designed to help achieve a specific goal. Below is a list of the types of Trusts available. Private Asset [...]
Our Business
At The Law Offices of Odelia Goldberg we are here to help protect you, your family & preserve your assets. We pride ourselves on our integrity, professionalism [...]
TESTIMONIALS
Odelia drafted both my parent’s (on Long Island) and my grandfather’s (in Boca) estate documents and her professionalism and knowledge impressed us time and again.
Your assistance this past weekend was immeasurable. We were so scared that all of our documentation would be lost for good after the break-in. You gave us peace of mind in knowing that we didn’t need to start over and we’re lucky that we chose you as our attorney.
A few weeks ago, Odelia Goldberg completed estate plan documents for one of our clients. Her knowledge of the subject matter was immediately evident. Additionally, she explained everything in layman’s terms. Odelia was patient and answered all of client’s questions. The estate plan that was put together was specifically designed to fit our client’s individual needs. Odelia is an excellent attorney with a strong knowledge base and I would highly recommend her to my other clients.
Five stars experience! We recently moved from North Carolina and were in need of an estate planning attorney in South Florida. We didn’t know the area and several of our new neighbors independently gave us Odelia Goldberg’s contact information and raved about her services. They were right! She was professional, knowledgeable and so personable at the same time. We are thrilled to report that we have, very easily, executed our documents and are completely satisfied. We are, once again, in sound hands.