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Currents August 2019 > continued from page 12 negative equity. However, once that equity turns positive, you are doing your heirs a favor by eliminat- ing the time and money involved in going through probate. Probate can take a year and cost thou- sands of dollars in fees and costs. Remember also that the Trust is called a “Revo- cable Living Trust.” This means that, as long as you are alive, the Trust remains with you. You can always sell your home and buy a new home as Trustee of your Trust. You do not need to change the Trust unless you want to change the beneficiar- ies for the new property. You can also buy additional properties, in Florida or out of state, as Trustee of your Trust. Therefore, if you now have equity in your home, you should seriously consider creating a Trust. Transferring your home to the Trust will not change your homestead or your real estate taxes. In addition, regardless of the equity in your home, it is extremely important to have current advance care directives to protect you if you are incapaci- tated. These include the Durable Power of Attorney (which must specifically include the address of your property) as well as the Designation of Health Care Surrogate and Living Will. New Florida laws could mean that your current documents need to be revised. Please feel free to call me for a free personal or phone consul- tation regarding any issues per- taining to Wills, Trusts, Deeds, Probate, Power of Attorney or Health Care Surrogate. I am also available for free consultation regarding personal injury claims or car insurance coverage. Call me at 954-569-4878. My address is 3275 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Suite 204, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442. My website is www.mart- inzevinpa.com and my e-mail address is [email protected]. We Support Our Troops 13