RELAUNCH - site, courses, and start-up package.

We, at The Florida Association of LegalDocument Preparers (FALDP) are proud to announce exciting changes throughout our organization. We have refined and redesigned our courses in anticipation of our site-wide RELAUNCH. Many legal document preparers spend years in paralegal studies programs only to discover, upon graduation, that there are no paralegal jobs available. Or, even worse, many discover that the paralegal jobs that are available don't pay enough to justify their years of academic training. So, many would-be paralegals discover that its time to use their entrepreneurial skills and open up shop as legal document preparers. As small business owners they soon discover that they are their own favorite boss of all time. Once their legal document preparation business takes off -- they never look back.

We've added value to our popular Turn Key Business Bundle. Our start up package now includes even more tools to help you build a successful business. We have worked long and hard to develop a business start-up package for a legal document preparation business.

Turn Key Business Bundle

$878.00 Value for Only $499.00

• A Limited Liability Company, documents prepared and ready to file with the state - $89.00 Value

• One year Premium Membership into FALDP - $65.00 Value

• Online Course - Introduction to Florida Legal Document Preparation - $99.00 ValueOnline Course - your choice - Preparing Florida Divorce Documents; OR Bankruptcy Chapter 7; OR Living Trust & Estate Planning Documents – up to $220.00 Value

• A custom website and top-level domain - a $330.00 Value
• One month of unlimited mentoring – a $50.00 Value

• A press release written for you to announce your new company - priceless.

• Marketing - our Gorilla Baby package, two weeks internet advertising on eight of the most popular online portals - $25.00 Value.
  

                                  Online Courses - Descriptions

Our courses can be part of the Turnkey Business Bundle or taken one at a time. They are targeted primarily towards legal document preparers who want to increase their business income by adding services. People who are new to the industry and want to learn how to prepare Florida legal documents must begin with the INTRO course. Likewise, people who are coming in from other states, even those with experience, must enroll in the INTRO course before joining our association. Consumers are also invited to take our courses.

INTRO to Florida Legal Document Preparation - $99.00 (INTRO-310)
Preparing Florida Divorce Documents - $220.00 (DOM - 202)

Living Trusts & Estate Planning - $99.00 (LT - 312)
Bankruptcy Basics – Chapter 7 Personal Bankruptcy - $149.00 (BK – 127)

Free Basic Membership with paid tuition for INTRO -310 – a $40.00 Value. This special membership fee, for new members only, is available until December 31, 2012. So hurry. All memberships renew on June 1.

Introduction to Florida Legal Document Preparation (INTRO) discusses the legal document preparation industry - including business structure, name choice considerations; and various business models and structures . No prior paralegal training is required. INTRO also stresses compliance and avoiding the unauthorized practice of law (UPL).There are required assignments, but no exam. INTRO is mandatory for inexperienced document preparers, and for document preparers relocating to Florida from other states, who seek FALDP membership. Tuition - $99.00

Preparing Florida Divorce Documents (DOM -202) is a nuts and bolts course based on Florida Supreme Court approved forms for pro se litigants. Each of the different types of divorce situations is discussed. Upon successful completion, students receive a Course Completion Certificate. Entirely self-paced, students work around their own work and family schedules. Tuition - $220.00

Living Trusts and Estate Planning (LT-312) is appropriate for both document preparers and consumers. For a limited time, consumers who purchase a Living Trust document package through our site, after successfully completing LT-312, will be rebated 100% of their tuition. We know that informed consumers are the best customers; we strive to help consumers make informed decisions. We offer a revenue sharing plan for FALDP members who successfully complete LT-312. - $99.00

Bankruptcy Basics - Chapter 7 Personal Bankruptcy (BK-127) shows consumers and document preparers how to start over with a clean financial slate. This foundation course introduces learners to bankruptcy terminology; types of bankruptcy; eligibility; Florida exemptions; means test; and do's and don'ts for Bankruptcy Petition Preparers. BK-127 is completely self-paced, and is appropriate for consumers and legal document preparers. Tuition - $149.00

Due to the dismal economy many consumers cannot comfortably afford attorneys fees for routine legal matters. The services of legal document preparers are becoming increasingly more acceptable as our industry gains credibility. The services of legal document preparers are now considered a “perfectly acceptable legal solution” rather than just a good enough, or, better than nothing, legal solution.


Whether you are new to the legal document preparation industry or want to expand your services, the Florida Association of Legal Document Preparers is here to help. Registration for our online courses is open. Please visit:  http://www.faldp.org/

Call today - Toll Free

800-515-0496

                                                          
We, the members of the Florida Association of Legal Document Preparers, deeply believe that it is the right of all American consumers to have access to the legal system, regardless of income or education. It is our mission to deliver well researched legal information to consumers.

The FALDP mission embodies our quest and our goals. We offer legal information; and document preparation assistance. We hope that by educating consumers about their legal rights -- we will have done our part to give others hope.

The FALDP mission is a journey. We have only begun, there is much to do. We hope that the confidence gained through education and knowledge will empower consumers, so they may have a fighting chance to enforce or pursue their rights in a court of law.

A Living Trust – What it is, and why you need it.

If you own property and want to make sure your property is passed on to the person you choose – you need a Living Trust. We're now offering a Living Will, and an Advance Health Care Directive at no charge, when you hire us to prepare your Living Trust documents. With a Living Trust you can rest assured and later on rest in peace, knowing that your loved ones are going to receive the property you promised them – without having to wait for a judge's order to make it so. For more information please call – 800-515-0496.


What is a Living Trust?

You can cancel your living trust at any time. You completely control when and if you create, change, or dissolve your trust. When you transfer property to a Living Trust you can sell it, rent it out, improve it, or do anything else that you want to do with the property, because although the Living Trust now owns the property, you as Trustee continue to control it. A Revocable Living Trust, also called an Inter Vivos Trust is a type of ownership, designed to ensure that your assets and property are swiftly placed into the possession and control of your designated heirs.

How is a Living Trust different from a Last Will and Testament?

A Living Trust is used along with a Last Will and Testament. A special type of Will which is often used is known as a “pour over will”. In a pour over will, the will maker includes language that leaves all assets and property to the Living Trust. Even though most of the property will be transferred to the Living Trust soon after forming the trust, the pour over will accomplishes additional tasks.

Sometimes people create a trust, transfer property into that trust, but later on acquire more property. When someone dies, and some of the property was not transferred into the trust, then the property that was not in the Trust must go through probate. So when there is language like – I leave everything I own to XYZ Living Trust – the chance of inadvertently omitting property cannot happen. Everything means everything. Likewise, some types of property, unlike vehicles or real estate, do not have a document to prove title. It is difficult for untitled property to be transferred into a Living Trust during a person's life, so simply stating that everything else that a person leaves behind is left to their Living Trust keeps it simple.

How does a Living Trust avoid probate? And what is probate anyway?

Probate is the legal process in which a deceased person's property is distributed to that person's designated heirs. Many people believe that having any sort of a will avoids probate – but this is a huge blatant myth encouraged by probate attorneys everywhere. A will does not avoid probate at all, and is not designed to do so. A will makes your wishes known – that's all. When someone dies without a will there is a specific order of who inherits and how property and assets are divided. When someone dies without a will, that person's wishes are unknown, so the law must be applied to the order of distribution of assets. The decedent may not have wanted to leave anything to certain relatives, but failing to leave a will at all can easily make this happen. If there is no will at all, the diamond ring that the decedent meant to give to her niece Sally, is instead handed over to her daughter Jean – after probate that is.

With a clear and valid will probate can take anywhere from six months to two years. Dying without a will, called dying intestate, slows down the probate process more. Dying with a will makes the probate process faster and more clear, only because the decedent's wishes are known. Either way, the designated heirs cannot take possession or control of their rightful property until the judge says so.

When someone sets up a Living Trust, the assets are transferred from the person's name (we'll call that person Jane Smith) to the name of (Smith Family Living Trust) the Trust. The property is transferred during the person's life. For example, in her Living Trust Jane Smith names Jane Smith as the Trustee of the Smith Family Living Trust. Jane Smith then names another person or persons as Successor Trustees. Adult children are often chosen as Successor Trustees.

When Jane Smith dies, since she already set up the Smith Family Living Trust, her property is immediately in the control of her Successor Trustee. Or, if Jane Smith did not die, but was temporarily incapacitated the property goes into the temporary care and control of her Successor Trustee, she resumes her role as Trustee as soon as she is able.

For more information about creating a Living Trust, please contact the Florida Association of Legal Document Preparers directly - 800-515-0496 - or visit our site and browse the Member Directory which includes of listings of our member legal document preparers throughout Florida.