florida homestead exemption act

    

FLORIDA HOMESTEAD SERVICES

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HUMAN RESOURCES

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Business Ethics

Striking a balance between integrity, professionalism and sensibility, client loyalty and personal responsibility, our company adheres to a set of business and ethics guidelines that it hopes will increase confidence in the company and in its service agents by making it easier for our customers, service providers and the public to understand what constitutes unethical behavior, and for the company to fulfill its moral and legal obligations.

Among the desires that we believe will enhance our services is the fact that we self regulate our business and have implemented very stringent requirements for our agents and representatives in addition to the regulations stated herein. We are very serious about these issues and enforce these policies and regulations daily.

Considering your thoughts and our agents vast opportunities, compiling the right staff is critical. When preparing information or a list of professional references, we put our selves in the shoes of a perspective client. In these paranoid times, with liability law suits and other legal actions commonplace, companies must protect themselves by hiring upstanding, trouble-free and competent staff. At a minimum, we select people to provide professional services to you from references that will be open to confirming their ethics and background. They are also investigated thoroughly and asked other questions about their background, including their level of responsibility and performance. In addition to this, we also consider a potential agent's personal issues and beliefs regarding many subjects.

These regulations control those agents and representatives who provide services through our company and accomplishes several things. It (a) requires certain disclosures, (b) prohibits certain misstatements, (c) defines the minimum kinds of services that must be provided by one who provides services through Florida Homestead Services, LLC, (d) rigorously limits the statutory or other fees that can be charged, and (e) requires agents to act in the best interests of the client, to be truthful and factual, and to act at all times beyond reproach in all communications and matters regarding clients, potential clients, licensees, representatives or agents and (e) requires agents and officers to act in the best interests of the company, to be truthful and factual, and to act at all times beyond reproach in all communications and matters to the company regarding clients, and to adhere to all laws of the state and of the United Sates at all times and be law abiding citizens. 

Failure to act in the highest ethical manner, or violations of any law or court decision will result in the termination of a representative agent and possible subsequent causes of legal action against the officer, representative or agent. These rules are not all-inclusive, and the company has the right to act, as it deems fit, in the best interests of the company and of our clients at all times. 

Below is an abbreviated synopsis of our rules, regulations and standards of practice...

Why Were These Regulations Initiated, Drafted and Adopted by Florida Homestead Services, LLC? 

These regulations were adopted because some individuals providing improper or non-licensed homestead services were misrepresenting the company, the need for, or the character of our services. A common misrepresentation is that a person is an agent or employee of our company or that a recorded declaration of homestead protects against enforcement measures by any and all creditors. In fact, filing a homestead declaration does not protect against creditors whose claims are secured by a mortgage on the property, or against businesses that have a ‘contractor’s’ lien on the property as a result of providing services or improvements, or for non-payment of property taxes and assessments. Also, a judgment lien against a homestead is no 'removed', it is simply invalid against a home's equity. Some unscrupulous individuals and professionals alike, conceal the existence of the legal requirements of homestead protection stating that it is automatic in order to sell other legal services to those who do not really need them.

A brief excerpt of the company’s stringent regulations follow:  

Social Responsibility: The company can have a substantial impact on the lives and well-being of all residents and citizens and therefore avoids doing business with agents, representatives or partners who participate in illegal or unfair labor or business practices, including illegal labor or child labor, the payment of low wages, unsafe work environments, or ethnic, racial, gender or sexual discrimination. 

Executive Responsibility: The company's officers shall be directly and wholly responsible for the company's employees, agents, and actions, including but not limited to financial activities and statements, extra-corporate agreements, and product or service claims. The company will at all times adhere to, and uphold the regulations provided to its officers and agents initiated and published by the company. 

 

Board of Directors: The company's board of directors, acting in its fiduciary capacity on behalf of all, shall be liable for all financial statements and ethics practices emanating from the company.

Financial Deception: Purposely concealing or misrepresenting the company's public information, or misappropriating corporate funds for personal gain, is unethical and will be punishable by law.

Investigatory Response: Employees or officers of the company , if under criminal or civil investigation by any agency or of the US, shall not destroy documents or data that could be construed as pertinent to that investigation. Such individuals shall be suspended or terminated from  the company based on the level of investigation or cause of action.

Defective or Deceptive Products, Services, Practices: The company shall not knowingly produce or provide a defective product or services so as not to be in material breach of ethical and legal standards, causing the company or its clients to suffer appropriate negative consequences. Agents will at all times practice business beyond reproach and will adhere to the highest ethical standards possible in all actions and communications with clients and in representing the company. Agents shall not provide legal advice in any communication with clients nor engage in any misrepresentation whatsoever. Officers and agents will at all times uphold all legal and fiduciary duties required by law and will at all times practice sound business principles.

 

Unfair Trade Practices: Any company that participates in unfair or deceptive trade, including but not limited to coercing partners, suppliers, agents or distributors into signing unethical agreements, forcing customers or clients to use unwanted company products or services, or underselling in the market in an attempt to starve out internal competition, shall be guilty of anticompetitive practices and the company will not do business with them.

 

Whistle-blowers: Employees who make allegations of illegality or indiscretion against the company are protected by law and must not be harassed or made to suffer economically or psychologically for their actions.  

 

Standards of Practice - Representatives and Agents

Health and Safety: Company and its agent's certify that workers will be provided a safe and healthy working environment to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, linked with, or occurring in the course of work or as a result of the operation of agent facilities.

Environmental Responsibility: The company has a moral and legal obligation to protect and preserve the environment and should ensure that our operations, and those of our partners, agents, subsidiaries, and licensees, adhere to environmentally safe practices. 

Freedom of Association: Company certifies that employee' rights to freedom of association will be recognized and respected.

Wages and Benefits: Company certifies that eligible employees will be paid at least the minimum wage required by local law, or the prevailing industry wage, whichever is higher.

Hours of Work/Overtime: Company certifies that it complies with regulations concerning work hours mandated by local laws and uses overtime only when employees are compensated according to local law. Company further certifies that it won't allow employees to exceed the maximum number of overtime hours provided by local law.

Environment: Company certifies that it complies with applicable country, state, county and city environmental regulations.

Harassment or Abuse: Company certifies every employee, agent and customer or client shall be treated respectfully and dignity. No employee shall be subject to harassment or abuse.

Nondiscrimination: Company certifies that no person shall be subject to any discrimination in employment, including hiring, salary, benefits, advancement, discipline, termination or retirement, on the basis of race, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality, political opinion, or social or ethnic origin.

Forced Labor: Company certifies that it will not use any forced labor - prison, indentured, bonded or otherwise.

Child Labor: Company certifies that no person shall be employed at an age younger than the law allows or younger than the age for completing compulsory education.

Documentation and Inspection: Company agrees to:
(A) Certify on an annual basis that each of the above listed Standards are met.
(B) Consent to and permit annual inspections of each business by company representatives.
(C) Maintain on file such documentation as may be needed to demonstrate compliance with the
company Standards of Practice.
(D) Make these documents available for audit inspection upon request.
(E) Provide employees with the opportunity to report noncompliance with workplace standards & free from punishment or prejudice for so doing.
(F) Post the Regulatory Standards in a common area accessible by all employees.

Who is Subject to this Regulation?

This regulation controls the provision of homestead filing services and applies to anyone who provides homestead filing services as an officer, agent, licensee, referral agent or other service provider as defined by the company. However, this regulation does not apply to attorneys, law firms or to those who work under the direct supervision of attorneys, with respect to paid legal services that are provided to a client who has retained the attorney to provide those services. Hence, once a homeowner hires an attorney to advise them regarding a homestead, neither the kind of services that are furnished by an attorney, nor the charges for those services are covered by this regulation and we no longer represent that client.

What Protections Does This Regulation Provide?

This regulation may require that a homestead filing service agent or licensee, in the event that the home office cannot accomplish the task, to handle the entire task of completing and filing the homestead paperwork, including payment of all notary and county recording fees as required. The regulation requires that the declaration of homestead must be recorded in the appropriate county within 10 days after it is signed before a notary public.

The regulation limits the notary and recording fees that can be charged in addition to the service fees. The fees may not be requested until after the homestead declaration contract and limited power of attorney are executed. This may mean that the amount that a client pays for a homestead declaration will be paid to a company escrow, which will disburse the funds to the homestead filing service provider only after the homestead is executed or recorded.

To help assure that homeowners are not mislead about the need for filing a homestead declaration or the enormous protections that it provides, a homestead filing service agent must include a prescribed disclosure in every advertisement, promotional material and other offer made before the time when the owner is obligated to pay for the service. In the case of an oral solicitation or broadcast ad, the disclosure should be recited at the beginning of the presentation. In the case of a printed ad or other promotional material, the required disclosure must be printed.

This regulation also prescribes the procedures by which someone who provides homestead filing services is paid. The provider may not charge, demand, or collect any money from the homeowner until after the homestead contract and power of attorney is executed. Also, the total amount charged, demanded, or collected by the provider for all filing fees and notarization fees, may not exceed the specified amount in addition to any service fee.

All officers, agents and employees have hereby agreed in writing to implement, abide by, adhere to and maintain the rules, regulations and standards enumerated herein.

Read the full text of this particular regulation HERE.

Sources and Enforcement

The homestead law covers both tax related homesteads and declared homesteads. The law that regulates homestead tax filing is regulated under Florida Statutes, Title XIV and XV and any violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and or a five thousand dollar fine. In addition, the attorney general or a district attorney, and certain county attorneys, may recover a civil penalty for each violation. Suits for an injunction prohibiting violations, and securing restitution of amounts paid by client victims, may be maintained by both law enforcement agencies and private parties. Agents are fully responsible for any consequences of a tort or damages.

Should You File A Homestead Declaration?

The filing of a declared homestead does indeed enormously add to the homestead and equity protection that the law provides to all homeowners. While the typical homeowner need not file a declared homestead to enjoy basic homestead protection, homeowners who may be or are in financial trouble, or who expect to be in financial trouble, probably should file a homestead declaration, just to be on the safe side. Precautionary measures should always be taken by homeowners, especially those with any amount of equity. The exemption of a homestead from ad valorem taxation is quite a different thing from the exemption of a homestead from seizure and sale for debts, and therefore homestead issues and court decisions for tax purposes are not necessarily relevant to issues and decisions for forced sale purposes, the statutory provisions being entirely different.

The following are some of the reasons that a homeowner who is or expects to be in financial trouble should file a declared homestead and not rely exclusively on the homestead tax exemption:

• The owner who files a declared homestead can choose which of several different residences will be protected. 

• The protection that is provided by a declared homestead will continue to apply to that residence even if the owner becomes deceased. It will not apply to rental properties. If a declared homestead has not been recorded, the homestead protection may be lost if the owner moves, rents or becomes deceased.

• The protection that is provided by a declared homestead will apply to the proceeds of a voluntary sale. If no declared homestead has been recorded, the protection of the owner’s equity in a home may be lost in the event of a voluntary or forced sale of the home or if a judgment or lien exists. (This means that the proceeds of the voluntary or forced sale of the home will go to the judgment creditor or creditors rather than the owner). 

• If a declared homestead has been recorded, the law is clear that the proceeds of sale can be used to purchase another house as a homestead or be used for living expenses until purchase and the property will be unencumbered. 

• Only if a declared homestead has been recorded will the proceeds of a voluntary sale assuredly be protected after they are used to purchase another house; only then will the protection given to the first house be carried over to the second in regards to purchase funds. 

• If a declared homestead has been recorded, the law is clear that the property cannot be forcefully sold to pay a debt, judgment, levy or lien (if not a mortgage, tax or mechanic’s/construction lien), and can be sold or contracted against within 45 days after filing the declaration up to 180 days afterwards.

• If a declared homestead has been recorded, the law is clear that the home is protected unless abandoned (The legal definition of abandonment consists of rental or moving to a new homestead). 

Neither the homestead tax exemption nor the declared homestead will protect a homeowner against the loss of his or her home to a secured creditor -- such as the lender who has financed the original purchase, or a lender who extended a second mortgage loan, or to a contractor, subcontractor or laborer who has filed a valid claim of mechanic's lien for improvements to the homestead or to a property tax lien or assessment. The protections of both the declared and tax homesteads, however, extend to most other kinds of creditors. 

Homeowners who are in financial trouble or those who expect that they may encounter financial trouble should consult a qualified attorney for legal advice on how to protect their home, as agents of Florida Homestead Services cannot and shall not render any legal advice or engage in the practice of law whatsoever. 

Florida Homestead Services, LLC

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BECOME AN AGENT, PLEASE CONTACT US!

Real Property Primary Residence Income - Wages Asset Protection

Homestead Exemption

Protection of Real Property Protection of Income Protection of Retirement
Declaration of Homestead Protection from Forced Sale Protection from Judgments Protection from Liens 

 

 

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