News & Events - Winderweedle, Haines, Ward and Woodman, P.A. - Orlando - Winter Park, FL

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Bringing Clarity to Charity – Your Guide to Serving on a Not-for-Profit Board

Your Guide to Serving on a Not-for-Profit Board

Charitable and other not-for-profit organizations (“NFP”) provide great service to our community. NFPs meet crucial needs not met by the business world and the government. Those who serve as NFP board members are unsung heroes. However, board service is not without risk. After all, board members owe a fiduciary duty to the organizations that they … Read more

Property Owners May See Higher Tax Discounts In 2022

Property Owners May See Higher Tax Discounts In 2022

The old phrase “the early bird catches the worm” might ring even more true for Florida property owners starting this year. On December 2, 2021, Senator Ana Rodriguez (R-39) filed Senate Bill 1152 to increase tax percentage deductions on timely paid property tax bills. An identical bill was filed in the Florida House of Representatives … Read more

Ground Control to Major Tom – Client to Lawyer Communication Protocol

Ground Control to Major Tom – Client to Lawyer Communication Protocol

In his classic rock masterpiece, Space Oddity, singer David Bowie tells the story of astronaut Major Tom. As Major Tom’s capsule orbits the Earth, he is having trouble communicating with Ground Control. Major Tom needs clarity, assurance, and understanding. Meanwhile, Ground Control simply orders Major Tom to “take your protein pills and put your helmet … Read more

Estate Tax Landscape for 2021 and Beyond

Estate Tax Landscape for 2021 and Beyond

Now that former Vice President Joe Biden is projected to be the President-elect, we can start to focus on the policy changes that may be coming. For months commentators have attempted to predict the economic and tax changes that would likely occur under President-Elect Joe Biden’s administration, and while the details are still to be … Read more

Receivers Have a New Playbook with Passage of the UCRERA

Receivers Have a New Playbook with Passage of the UCRERA

In football, a receiver needs a good playbook. Otherwise, passes fall incomplete and teams lose games. However, until recently, receivers appointed to oversee distressed real estate assets had no statutory playbook. This often led to inconsistent results, unnecessary litigation, and title insurance problems. Fortunately, on July 1, 2020, Florida’s Uniform Commercial Real Estate Receivership Act … Read more

Passage of the SECURE Act Brings Sweeping Changes to Retirement Benefits Planning

Passage of the SECURE Act Brings Sweeping Changes to Retirement Benefits Planning

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was signed into law by the President on December 20, 2019 and implements major changes concerning retirement accounts such as traditional IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k) and 403(b) accounts. The SECURE Act raises the age for beginning required minimum distributions (“RMDs”) to age 72 from age … Read more

Medical Marijuana in Florida – OK to Smoke But Not to Grow

Medical Marijuana in Florida – OK to Smoke But Not to Grow

On November 22, 2019, the Florida Supreme Court declined to accept jurisdiction over a case involving the right of a patient to cultivate marijuana for his own medicinal purposes. In doing so, Florida has declined to be added to the increasing minority of states that now allow homegrown marijuana. Prominent Tampa strip-club owner Joe Redner … Read more

Beware of the Mean Lien: 5 Tips to Protect Landlords During Tenant Improvement Work

By: Nicole Latham Carolan, Esq. and Heather S. Nason, Esq. In Florida, when a lease permits or requires a tenant to make improvements to the premises, the tenant’s contractor(s) (as well as any subcontractors or suppliers), if not timely paid, can file a lien against, and ultimately foreclose upon, not only the tenant’s leasehold interest … Read more

Litigation Costs HOW Much? Can I At Least Deduct It?

Litigation Costs HOW Much? Can I At Least Deduct It?

Business owners often question whether the business will be able to deduct its legal expenses. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cavanaugh v. Commissioner, 18-60299, 2019 WL 1430193 (5th Cir. Mar. 29, 2019) recently shed some light on this matter. The Court found that settlement payments and litigation expenses paid by a business regarding … Read more