Ponzi schemes abound, and many people end up falling victim and losing money through them. Fortunately, the perpetrators of these schemes usually come to justice eventually. Take one recent case in Florida where police arrested five brokers for swindling investors out of $1.2 billion in a Ponzi scheme. Ponzi schemes have existed in some form or […]
Melbourne Legal Blog
Undue influence when it comes to estate planning is the act of influencing the choices of another individual, many times against his or her own free will. It happens surprisingly often, including a recent case in Florida where caretakers defrauded an elderly woman out of over $1 million. Since senior citizens are generally not physically strong […]
Purchasing a home can be an exciting milestone. To avoid later regrets, it is important to be thorough in learning all the facts. Many buyers assume the law obligates the seller to disclose anything they would want to know. In practice, this issue can be far more complicated, as the legal obligation to disclose may […]
If you have a family of high-strung competitors, you will want to keep that in mind when you designate a beneficiary on your retirement plan or life insurance policy. You may think that naming a charity might be a good way to avoid family arguments after you pass away, but can you take that idea […]
If you are a physician and work at a group practice, in a hospital, or with an HMO, you are likely familiar with the concept of the noncompete agreement. This type of agreement in an employment contract is to prevent you from setting up a private practice in a specific geographic area for a specific […]
As a first-time Florida home buyer, this probably is one of the most exciting times of your life. Everything has gone remarkably well for you up to this point. Not only did the seller agree to your purchase offer, you found a mortgage company willing and able to lend you the money. Now the only […]
When you leave a job, you may experience frustration because of a noncompete agreement. Your previous employer may claim you will not be able to get the same position in another company or open up a similar practice. When your former employer sends you a cease-and-desist document in the mail, you may not know what […]
Can your current employer really restrict your future employment opportunities? Generally, Florida law gives employers substantial leeway in imposing non-compete agreements on employees. If you are about to start a new job and your employer wants you to sign a non-compete, you should generally avoid signing if you do not want to accept its conditions. However, […]
Your widowed mother, a young-at-heart senior, has recently taken up golf. In fact, she seems to be obsessed with it, and with Marcus, her handsome, fortyish instructor. He asked her out for dinner, and your mom says they talked about everything imaginable, including topics such as finances and wills. This alarms you. His actions have the […]
