VanDeVoorde Hall Law, P.L. - Lawyers in Sebastian, Florida

04/30/2026

We are accepting donations of _individually prepackaged_ granola bars, cookies, crackers, water, juices, and the like to help the littles at Sebastian Elementary get through the day. Please, no homemade goodies or anything perishable. You can bring them by VanDeVoorde Hall Law PL at 1327 N. Central Avenue, Sebastian (we have a big collection box in our waiting room) or if you see Cynthia or Kim out in the community, drop them off with us. Thanks!

04/16/2026

Florida corporations and LLCs! Do not forget that the annual deadline to file Florida corporation and Florida LLC annual reports with the Florida Secretary of State, Division of Corporations (at Sunbiz.org) is MAY 1. It typically only takes 5 minutes and a credit card to timely file the annual report. Though most of our clients do it themselves, if you need help, feel free to contact us at VanDeVoorde Hall Law P.L. and we can assist (and file every year, if you wish) for a small, fixed fee. Give us a call or visit our website to find out how we can assist with your small business, estate planning and business succession, administration, and other transactional needs.

04/13/2026

VanDeVoorde Hall Law PL, a law firm with a focus on elder law, is looking for a full-time or part-time secretary or legal assistant in our Sebastian office to perform a variety of tasks to support the office’s two attorneys and two paralegals. Duties include coordination of front-desk activities, such as greeting clients when they arrive, answering and redirecting phone calls, and scheduling appointments for clients; creating files in the firm’s practice management system and supporting paper files as needed; composing cover letters and first drafts of letters and other documents, including legal documents, typically based on previously-established templates; and performing other clerical tasks as needed. Often this will be the first person that many clients and potential clients meet, so it is vital that a successful candidate have a positive demeanor and patience. Ability and willingness to learn is required. Previous law office experience is a plus but not required. Fluency in Spanish is also a plus but not required.

03/26/2026

During our estate planning appointments, even when clients are seeing us for "just a simple Will," we try to bring up the topic of advance directives (such as living wills) and other health care documents, such as medical powers of attorney or designations of health care surrogates. No one likes to think about end of life decisions, but they are important - and having them in place, with a clear expression of your preferences and desires - is a gift to your family and loved ones if they are faced with having to make decisions because you are not able to. (Lawyer note: In Florida, we call what they refer to in this article as "health care proxies" a "Designation of Health Care Surrogate" as a health care proxy has a different meaning. Also, though there is not a specific statute using that term or statutory form for a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST), they are authorized to be used in Florida under our advance directive statute.

My sister and I had to make decisions that determined the course of my parents’ final hours. This important end-of-life document could have guided us

03/09/2026

We get asked all of the time about inheritance tax and estate tax (and sometimes "death tax", which is not a thing but is what many people call estate and inheritance taxes.) Estate taxes and inheritance taxes are _not_ the same thing. For someone dying in 2026, the threshhold for being subject to federal estate tax is $15MM, and there is no federal inheritance tax. Florida has neither a state-level estate tax nor inheritance tax. A dozen US states (plus DC) have a state-level estate tax as well. Only a handful of states have inheritance taxes, though inheritance taxes are very common in other countries, so foreign beneficiaries may be subject to them. Most of our clients do not have to worry about either of them. But if you do, there are strategies to avoiding or minimizing all of them, which the attorneys at VanDeVoorde Hall Law are well-versed in!

Don't let death taxes surprise your heirs. Learn the difference between estate and inheritance taxes and how to plan for them.

09/26/2025

With a heavy heart, we are mourning the death of our long-time former receptionist and ball of sunshine, Brenda Simmons. For most of our clients, Brenda was the first person they met at our firm and last person to say goodbye when you left your appointment, and was patient and compassionate to all who came in and called. She had moved to the Orlando area a few years ago, and we do not have memorial service information at this time.

Share Memories and Support the Family.

06/02/2025

Lovely write-up in Southern Living about our town, Sebastian, Florida.

Sebastian is a fishing village on Florida's east coast that's a haven for nature lovers who love to spend time on and around the water. From surfing to kayaking to lounging on the beach, you'll find plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. It's also a fantastic place for fresh seafood, craft b...

04/30/2025

Obituary for long-time Sebastian area attorney, and a founding member of our law firm, Rene VanDeVoorde.

René George VanDeVoorde II, 79, passed away on April 16, 2025, at VNA Hospice House in Vero Beach, with his loving family by his side. Born in Nebraska,

04/30/2025

Florida corporation and LLC owners and officers: You only have ONE MORE DAY to file corporate or LLC annual reports for 2025 before late fees are incurred. Annual reports only take a few minutes to file online, but are required of all active corporations and LLCs in the State of Florida. Reports filed after May 1 incur a $400 late fee, so don't forget to file with the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations (Sunbiz)!

The Division of Corporations uses a 3rd party, NIC Services, LLC dba Tyler Payment Services, to process our credit/debit card payments for Online filings. A confirmation payment receipt will be emailed from [email protected] for successful transactions. Please keep a copy of the receipt, there is i...

03/24/2025

Because 23andMe is not a medical provider, your genetic information stored there is not subject to HIPAA and most states' medical records privacy laws. Their genetic data is clearly going to be the most valuable asset in the bankruptcy. If you have not already done so, consider (or reconsider) whether you wish to delete your genetic data with them, if possible.

Over the weekend, biotechnology company 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Questions remain over what could happen to users' genetic data?