Tag Archives: capital gains on sale of home

Blick Law Firm Participates in Book Donation to Children in Need

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Blick Law

Blick Law Firm is hosting a Santa meet and greet to benefit needy children

TAMPA, FL. Dec.  21, 2012— Santa Claus is coming to town!  On December 21, 2012 Blick Law Firm will partner with Gracepoint, The Source for Wellness a nonprofit organization for the 500 Books N Bags program which  provides books to underprivileged children who are in need.

Blick Law Firm is helping Gracepoint collect books from the local community; and as an added incentive, those who show their support will receive free photos with Santa Claus!

Anyone who brings an approved book into Blick Law Firm between noon and 4 p.m. will get his or her picture taken with Santa and receive a light lunch. Please note that all books brought in must be chosen from the approved reading list indicated below. The following books are approved:

Wild Things by Clay Carmichael                                            Across the Universe by Beth Revis

90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-galbis                         Hide and Seek by Katy Grant

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson                        Divergent by Veronica Roth

The Trouble with Half a Moon by Danette Vigilante             Flip by Martyn Bedford

Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods                   The Juvie Three by Gordon Korman

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson                           Matched by Ally Condie

Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby                           I will Save You by Matt de la Pena

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King                                              Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson                   Blank Confession by Pete Hautman

The Queen of Water (Mature Reader) by Laura Resau                    Stupid Fast by Geoff Herback

Happenstance Found by P.W. Catanese                                 Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison                                Recovery Road by Nelson Blake

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

The Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story by Linda Sue Park

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald

Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan

To ensure that certain books aren’t purchased substantially more than others, Gracepoint has created an online wish list at www.tinyurl.com/gracepointbooksnbags.

Blick Law Firm will also provide a way for those unable to purchase a reading book beforehand to do so at the event, by computer.

“We are a Christian firm so we really think it’s important to give back to those less fortunate than us, especially around the holidays,” said Michael Blickensderfer, owner of Blick Law Firm.

Blickensderfer donates year round, as he contributes 10 percent of his profits to charities and missions in need.  In the past year Michael has donated either his time or money to the Children’s Cancer Center, Feeding Children Everywhere, and alike. In addition to being a helper to the community, Blickensderfer has 25 year’s legal experience and extensive trial and courtroom knowledge. Blickensderfer is a former Marine, former prosecutor and is licensed in Florida, New York and New Jersey.

The event will be at 4351 Gunn Highway in Tampa and it will be from noon to 4 p.m.  For any questions about the event follow Blick Law Firm on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/blicklawfirm or call Blick Law Firm (813) 931-0840.

About Blick Law Firm
Blick law Firm is a local Tampa Bay legal firm specializing in personal injury, criminal and real estate law all across the state of Florida. The owner, Michael C. Blickensderfer, has over 25 years’ legal experience in Florida, New York and New Jersey. Blick Law Firms practice areas include criminal law, DUI/ Traffic, real estate transactions, loan modifications, short sales, foreclosure defense, bankruptcy, title insurance and real estate litigation. We also serve clients in personal injury, including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip and falls premises liability, dog bites, marine and aviation accidents and wrongful death. For further information regarding our legal services please visit our website at www.blicklawfirm.com.

* The hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience. Copyright © 2010 by Blick Law Firm. All rights reserved. Disclaimer

-# # #-

Posted in Blog, Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Probate and Simple Will

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Blick Law

With Thanksgiving just passing and the Christmas Holiday quickly approaching, most Floridians are preparing to spend time with family and gather together to relive old memories and catch up on lost time. Many families are faced with the uncomfortable thought of spending their last Christmas with grandparents or ill family members. It is important for every family to consider the importance of planning ahead for their relatives passing and ensuring that last wishes and health care decisions are carefully memorialized in writing.

A Will is a legal document that provides direction for how a decedent intends to distribute their assets upon their death. Many times, people avoid considering the different options available through probate out of apprehension of thinking about their own death.

When a person dies without a will they are said to have died intestate. The State will then follow the intestacy guidelines governing how to distribute intestate assets to heirs based on bloodline and relation.

Realistically, executing a Will for the disposition of one’s assets is an important part of planning the future of your estate. It is always better to have your intentions memorialized in an executed Will than have the State determine the disposition of your assets. Probate is the process of identifying and gathering the assets of the deceased person, paying their debts, and distributing the assets to his or her beneficiaries.

Many considerations must be made prior to setting forth the distribution of one’s assets following their death, and often times other legal documents are more suitable for particular situations. It is important to discuss your situation with an experienced Will, Probate and Estate Planning Attorney, and determine what is best for you be it a Will or Trust instrument.

If you or a loved has concerns or questions about the future of your estate, call Blick Law Firm today. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer today at 813-931-0840.

Posted in Blog, Real Estate | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What is a Will? And do I need one?

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Blick Law

A Will is a legal document that provides direction for how a decedent intends to distribute their assets upon their death. Many times, people avoid considering the different options available through probate out of apprehension of thinking about their own death.

When a person dies without a will they are said to have died intestate. The State will then follow the intestacy guidelines governing how to distribute intestate assets to heirs based on relation and bloodline.

Realistically, executing a Will for the disposition of one’s assets is an important part of planning the future of your estate. It is always better to have your intentions memorialized in an executed Will than have the State determine the disposition of your assets. Probate is the process of identifying and gathering the assets of the deceased person, paying their debts, and distributing the assets to his or her beneficiaries.

Many considerations must be made prior to setting forth the distribution of one’s assets following their death, and often times other legal documents are more suitable for particular situations. It is important to discuss your situation with an experienced probate attorney, and determine what is best for you be it a Will or Trust instrument.

If you or a loved have concerns or questions about the future of your estate, call Blick Law Firm today. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer at 813-931-0840. Think quick, call Blick!

Posted in Blog, Real Estate | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Real Estate: IRS rule on excluding gain of home sale

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Blick Law

If you have made a capital gain from the sale of your main home, you may be eligible to exclude all or part of the gain from your income. The Internal Revenue Service issued a pamphlet, Publication 523, Selling Your Home, which provides directions, rules, and requirements for filing capital gains when selling your home. The pamphlet gives thorough instructions on how to determine whether or not you qualify for the exclusion.

The general requirements include:

  • The home sold is considered your main home – “main home” is defined in the pamphlet as the home you lived in the majority of the year whether it is a house, condo, cooperative apartment, mobile home, or houseboat.
  • You have lived in the home at least two of the past five years
  • Additionally, you are allowed to exclude up to $250,000 of the gain on the sale of your main home if you file as an individual; or up to $500,000 if filed jointly.

Generally, the income exclusion is allowed if these requirements are met unless: you have excluded the gain from a prior home within two years prior of the current sale; you only sold the land on which your main home is located, but not the house itself, or; you sold the remainder interest in your home to a related person.

If you or a loved has legal concerns regarding the sale of your home call Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer. Think quick, call Blick.

For more information regarding the IRS Publication 523 visit: www.irs.gov/pub523.

Posted in Blog, Real Estate | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment