FL SB-264 - Conveyances to Foreign Entities  FL SB-264 - Conveyances to Foreign Entities

FL SB-264 - Conveyances to Foreign Entities

Many bills made it through the legislature and are either in the hands of the Governor for his consideration or are in the "queue" to go to him. One bill has already been signed into law that requires your attention. This expansive new law goes into effect July 1 and restricts ownership of certain types of Florida property by "foreign principals" associated with 7 named countries. We have several resources for you to help you gain an understanding of the new requirements.

 

Florida SB-264 - Conveyances to Foreign Entities Refresher

FL SB-264 - Conveyances to Foreign Entities Refresher

Join The Fund’s Melissa Murphy, Michael Rothman and Colleen Sachs for a comprehensive review (ONE FULL HOUR) of the new "Conveyances to Foreign Entities" law.

 

FL SB-264 - Questions & Answers

FL SB-264 - Questions and Answers

Join Melissa Murphy, Michael Rothman, Senior Manager, Legal Education, and Colleen Sachs, Senior Commercial Underwriting Counsel, for a 30-minute popup webinar to answer questions we've received about this new law.

 

FL SB-264 - Foreign Principal FDOC Registration

FL SB-264 - Foreign Principal FDOC Registration

Wondering whether your foreign principal client should register under the new foreign interests in real property law? If so, join Melissa Murphy, Michael Rothman, and Colleen Sachs as they walk you through the Department of Commerce's registration website to get some helpful information about what’s required.

 

Rating Title Insurance: The TRID Way

Learn how title insurance rates are mandated to be displayed under TRID and the Florida Insurance Premium Disclosure form, promulgated by the Department of Financial Services, effective Oct. 28, 2015.

 

The Shape of Things to Come: Things to Know about the 2021 ALTA Policy Forms

This non-accredited town hall program will examine key changes in the 2021 ALTA owner’s and loan title policy forms. The program will include a discussion of expanded and improved coverages, as well as an overview of new and revised definitions.

Accreditation:
Florida Bar

Marking Up a Commitment

The presentation demonstrates the steps taken to delete Schedule B-I requirements by striking through them. It next takes on the task of marking up Schedule B-II items to provide greater coverage for the insured.

RON Update: How to Become a Florida Remote Online Notary

Learn the key components of the RON statutes and specific steps Florida notaries will need to follow in order to register as online notaries.

 

The Florida Realtors/Florida Bar–6: A First Look at the “New” Contracts & Riders

Learn the highlights and changes recently announced by the joint committee of The Florida Realtors and The Florida Bar, which has updated both the standard contract and the popular “As Is” form, and has both modified existing riders and published new ones, all effective November 1, 2021.

 

Introducing the Digital Closing: What Fund Members Need to Know to Prepare

This Town Hall introduces Fund Members to different digital closing models and industry trends; gives insight into how the digital closing model is likely to take shape in Florida; outlines the pieces needed for a fully digital closing and assesses where the industry stands today in Florida; looks at processing times and costs for digital closings; and gives next steps and action items.

 

It's Here! Remote Online Notarization - What You Need to Know Now

The Florida legislature passed HB 409 – Electronic Legal Documents on May 2. The bill specifically allows for remote online notarization of certain documents, including documents related to real estate conveyances and mortgages. This webinar will give you information on what the bill contains, what The Fund thinks it means for digital closings, and how you can start to prepare for implementation in your office when the bill goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2020.

 

Understanding the Secondary Mortgage Market and How it is Driving Change at the Closing Table

Since its inception, the secondary mortgage market has driven change in the residential mortgage industry from the relationship borrowers have with their local bank to the way the settlement is conducted at the closing table. This presentation will walk you through the life of the loan from origination to securitization and preview how technology is changing the processes of settlement agents, lenders, borrowers, and investors today and in the near future.

 

A Closing Agent’s Guide to eNotes & Digital Closings

Dive deep into the process and technology involved in digital closings, including the standards surrounding the use of eNotes from both a technological and regulatory perspective.

 

Meet NotaryCam… and Hear From a User of RON

Please join Rick Triola, Founder and CEO of NotaryCam, a platform for on-line notarizations, as he discusses how NotaryCam works and how it may benefit a Fund Member’s practice.

 

Meet Pavaso – Providing eClosing & Remote Online Notary (RON) as a Competitive Advantage

Pavaso offers a true “full service” platform that can perform hybrid as well as completely paperless digital closings, including remote on-line notarization. Tim will discuss why now is the time to fully embrace “e” to deliver a better overall customer experience and service and how Pavaso may fit into The Fund member’s practice to support this.

 

Introduction to the Real Estate Paralegal Profession

Fund Legal Education Attorney Linda Monaco hosts a free 30-minute Fund Town Hall, Introduction to the Real Estate Paralegal Profession. This program is aimed at young persons considering career choices, those looking for a career change, and anyone who might simply be curious about becoming a real estate paralegal. Linda will be joined by Fund Business Development Advisors Bonnie Heffernan and Maria Cristina Espinosa, who will describe their experiences as real estate paralegals and the benefits of working in the Florida real estate industry.

 

A Quick Start Guide to Your First Closings

In this Roundtable, The Fund’s Legal Education attorneys list the “must-do’s” for residential closings by sorting the basic procedures for processing, pre-closing, closing and post-closing files into a “Quick Start Guide”. This program is designed for new Fund members and staffers (including processors and post-closers) looking for a “Quick Start Guide” on processing their files.

 

Selling Your Title Business

Join Howard Turk and Brett Story of Turk & Co., a title industry-centric mergers & acquisitions firm with decades of experience in the buying and selling of title agencies of all sizes, as they present a webinar full of useful information that will help evaluate all aspects of the buy-sell process.

 

Attract More Business in Any Market

Learn how to use your own business intelligence to find new business, leverage online tools more effectively, use your own website like a bull horn and more!

 

Website Best Practices and Educating Different Customer Groups

This course will explain Best Practices for websites, demonstrate how the inclusion of educational information can assist the various client and customer groups, and provide useful tools to accomplish these objectives.

 

It’s Time to Get Connected

Getting (and staying) connected with clients and referral sources is crucial. In this FREE Fund Town Hall, we hear from Title Tap’s Robin Cardella and Property Debt Research’s Lisa Monti as they share tips on how mindset sets you apart and why attitude attracts more wins. In addition, Fund Member Account Advisor Kathy Dollar demonstrates The Fund’s ConnectOR and how it assists Fund Members stay connected with clients.

 

Don’t Sell…Connect, Help – Part II

In this FREE Fund Town Hall, Title Tap’s Robin Cardella and Lisa Monti from Property Debt Research will share tips on how you can reposition yourself from 2020 to connect and help customers for more opportunities and even better results in 2021 and beyond. Join us to learn more about how understanding what you do gives people a reason to do business with you, how to promote unique ways to help with consistent messaging and how to leverage your team’s strengths for more wins. Whether you are new to the business or have decades in the industry, you will find actionable takeaways.

 

Don’t Sell…Connect, Help – Part III

In Part III of this presentation, Robin Cardella from Title Tap will share 5 tips to show how you can win by implementing a roadmap for building a steady pipeline and marketing strategy to attract the Customers/Clients you want. Join us to learn more about where to find clients, how to offer value and differentiate yourself from other firms, create your USP, set goals that work and get started. Whether you are new to the business or law practice or have decades in the industry, you will find something that helps.

 

Social Media Marketing for Closing Agents in One Hour a Week

Have you ever wondered how much return on investment closing agents can actually get from Facebook?

 

Safely Close with ClosingVue

As a busy title professional, you understand how critical it is to ensure the security of...


None

Real Property and Fake Sellers

During this webinar, Julie Lepore, President and Owner of Total FIRPTA, LLC presents Real...


None

A Whole Lotta BS (Behavioral Science) about Cybersecurity

Let’s be honest: most of us find cybersecurity frustrating. Thinking up long complex passwords, trying to find our phones when we need a code to log in to an account… it’s a pain! And if we believe the scary cybersecurity headlines about cyber-attacks and data breaches, none of it seems to be working. How do we make sense of it all? If you find it confusing, you’re not alone. New research from the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) reveals insights about the public’s attitudes and beliefs about security. Via this interactive webinar, we’ll compare Fund Members’ attitudes on cybersecurity to those of participants in NCA’s study and cut through the confusion to give Members easy, practical advice on how to keep themselves, their families and firms safe and secure. Presented by Lisa Plaggemier, Executive Director at the National Cybersecurity Alliance.


None

An Insider's Look at Cyber Security Cases

The Fund’s Legal Education Department is pleased to welcome Joseph Swanson, a shareholder of the Tampa office of Carlton Fields, An Insider’s Look at Cyber Security Cases. A large portion of Mr. Swanson’s practice involves litigating cases and providing counsel in incidents arising from cyber security attacks. Mr. Swanson will share lessons learned from an assortment of cases that he and his team have handled, including those involving wire transfer fraud, ransomware and data breaches. We’ll learn what transpires once the cyberattack occurs, the need for sound procedures and guidelines, what may be expected or required of the insured and the role of retained counsel. This promises to be an interesting and important webinar, with information that can only be gained from an attorney practicing in the trenches.


None

What?! We’ve Been Phished! – An Online Tabletop Exercise

Join us as we depict a fictional firm’s reaction to learning that it’s fallen victim to an elaborate wire transfer fraud. At crucial points in the firm’s odyssey, we stop and consider the firm’s actions – and inactions - in view of the incident response plan adopted by the American Land Title Association. Throughout the course of this exercise, viewers will be challenged to consider how prepared their companies are for the possibility of a similar attack.  


None

A Fund Roundtable: Cyber-Hygiene Tips You Need to Adopt Today

Join the attorneys of The Fund's Legal Education Department as we present A Fund Roundtable: Cyber-Hygiene Tips You Need to Adopt Today. We will share practical tips that law firms and title agencies can adopt to mitigate against cyber-crime and which can be incorporated into the member's Best Practices manual.


None

Computer Security in the Age of Cyber-Crime

Join Darrell Marsh, The Fund's Computer Security Manager, Information Technology, as he presents Computer Security in the Age of Cyber-Crime. This program focuses on the various types of computer security that Fund Members and their information technology managers need to consider employing to protect against data breaches and cyber-attacks. Invite your IT managers to attend!


None

Third-Party Security Vetting for Law Firms

The program will walk members through a standard cybersecurity questionnaire, offer guidance on how to implement security controls that are increasingly being required by clients, provide guidelines and resources needed to perform an internal security risk assessment and build an affordable cybersecurity program.


None

Avoiding Mortgage Payoff Fraud

 This webinar provides tips on how to spot attempted fraud and tools that every law firm and title agency needs to employ to fight this pernicious crime.

 

Insuring Against Mortgage Payoff Fraud, Business Email Compromise Fraud & Other Social Engineering Fraud

This webinar will look at what mortgage payoff fraud entails, how cyber-theft continues to plague our industry, and why settlement agents need to consider procuring insurance against losses due to computer crimes.

Accreditation:
NALA

Protecting Yourself Against Wire Fraud

Day of closing. Updated payoff letter received and your bookkeeper has loaded the wire for you to release. Before you hit the “Send” button, are you absolutely certain that the wiring instruction relied upon is authentic?

 

Cyber Insurance for the Closing Agent: A Roundtable Discussion with Industry Experts

Join us for a roundtable discussion on the various insurance products available to law firms and title agencies to protect against business email compromise, wire transfer fraud, social engineering fraud and ransomware attacks.

 

Cyber Liability Insurance

This Town Hall will focus on cyber liability insurance. If you've been wondering what cyber liability insurance does and does not cover, how much it costs, and how it can protect your office, this is the presentation for you.

 

Stopping Cyber Fraud

Electronic communication has become a way of life as has the practice of conducting financial transactions, which are part and parcel of a real estate closing, electronically.

 

Escrow & Cyber Security: Protecting You & Your Clients

Matt Rease and Lee Swaffield of RynohLive presented a free Fund Town Hall, Escrow and Cyber Security: Protecting You and Your Clients. RynohLive is a patented, web-based “bridge application” that has helped revolutionize escrow account management services. Its team is at the forefront of providing transaction monitoring, daily reconciliations and other anti-fraud measures.

 

What Every Real Estate Attorney Needs to Know About Cyber Risk Insurance

Fund Members need to be asking “Will my existing insurance policies cover a loss due to a spoofing incident?” and “What insurance do I need to protect against a catastrophic loss?”. On October 30th at noon, Robert Rosenzweig of RPLU, National Cyber Risk Practice Leader, presented a free Fund Town Hall webinar addressing what real estate practitioners need to know about insuring against Business Email Compromise fraud.

 

FinCEN_CTR_Video_Thumbnail_Town_Hall.png

FinCEN Reporting: How to Complete a Currency Transaction Report

Members filing Currency Transaction Reports (CTR) to comply with the mandate of a Geographic Targeting Order will find that process demonstrated and explained in this recording.
 

 

FinCEN Reporting: BSA E-Filing Account Setup

FinCEN Reporting: BSA E-Filing Account Setup

Members filing Currency Transaction Reports (CTR) must first be granted access to FinCEN’s E-Filing portal.  Setting up a new account is explained in this recording.
 

 

CFPB’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking/ALTA Best Practices Framework Revisions

This Town Hall focused on the CFPB’S Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued on July 29, 2016 which proposes changes and clarifications to TRID. ALTA’s Best Practices revisions are also discussed.

 

Town Hall Issuing Policies at Closing

This Town Hall focuses on issuing policies at closing. Although many Members are aware the 2006 ALTA policies allow the issuance of policies at closing, some of the practical aspects remain a mystery. This Town Hall will show Members what language to use when drafting Schedule A, how to use DoubleTime to issue policies at closing, and will answer some of the questions Members have about timing and liability. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn how to make the post-closing process as efficient as possible.

 

The New 2023 FIRPTA Reporting Forms

The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) requires withholding of monies from foreign sellers of real property. This withholding will be applied to potential taxes owed by foreign sellers when they file their United States tax return. See 26 U.S.C. secs. 1445 & 1446. For real estate purchase and sale transactions, focus on 26 U.S.C. sec. 1445(a). The forms 8288 & 8288-A are used to report these withholdings and were updated and released for use January 2023. This short program explains these new forms in detail and how to fill them in for real estate transactions.

 

FIRPTA Town Hall

This Town Hall addresses the recent changes to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) which went into effect on February 17, 2016.

 

TRID Town Hall - DoubleTime® Tips, Tricks & FAQs

This webinar is specially designed for DoubleTime® users and will address frequently asked questions, upgrades and enhancements, and tips to increase user efficiency.

 

TRID Town Hall

The Fund's CFPB Hotline team discusses updates, industry news, and other information The Fund has gathered about the recent TRID changes. The 2-hour webinar will answer Members' most pressing questions regarding the new process.

 

Stay Inside the Lines: Surveys & Legal Descriptions

This practical, essential skills seminar is one of the Legal Education Department’s Transactional Foundations series of seminars geared for real estate attorneys and their paralegal staff who desire training in reading, interpreting, and understanding surveys and legal descriptions.

Lien Stripping in Bankruptcy after Caulkett

Learn about the history, function, and current status of the law as to lien stripping in bankruptcy for title agents and real estate practitioners.

Accreditation: NALA

Liens, Liens, Everywhere a Lien

This webinar focuses on commonly occurring liens to real property, including judgment liens, homeowners’ and condominium association liens, federal tax liens, and code enforcement board and municipal liens. Particular attention will be paid to assessing the validity of liens filed in the public records and clearing those liens from the contemplated title insurance policy.

Accreditation: NALA

Tell Me More: Closing Disclosures Explained

Explaining the CD to borrowers and sellers is an important function of the settlement agent. This course will guide one through that process.

 

Navigating the Closing Disclosure Form

This three-hour offering provides an in-depth review of the forms and the rules.

Accreditation: NALA

It's Not Just a Form: The Closing Disclosure and Form Process

The seminar will review the new Closing Disclosure forms in depth including the seller specific form which is the sole responsibility of settlement agents to prepare, as well as the model refinance form.

Accreditation: NALA

2010 HUD-1 Settlement Statement Background & Basics

Practical guide to the 2010 GFE/HUD-1, including instructions on how to fill out and explain the forms to parties involved in the transaction.

 

Limited Liability Company Fundamentals: What's New, What's Not

Review the general principles related to limited liability companies with a focus on the insurable title aspects of ownership.

Accreditation: NALA

Ethics In Your Closing Practice

Review current ethical issues facing title professionals in your real estate and settlement practices. Eight hypothetical situations are presented covering different topics.

Accreditation: NALA

Introduction to ALTA’s Best Practices

Learn how to document your policies and procedures and work towards Best Practices compliance.

Accreditation: NALA

Building the Pillars of ALTA’s Best Practices - Workshop I

Are Lenders asking you for a copy of your Best Practices Policies and Procedures Manual? If so, it’s time to attend Building the Pillars of ALTA’s Best Practices – Workshop I. The workshop is designed to give you a jump-start on the creation and documentation of your personalized Best Practices Policies and Procedures Manual.

Accreditation: NALA

Building the Pillars of ALTA’s Best Practices - Workshop II

This workshop continues the Fund’s examination of ALTA’s Best Practices, detailing Florida-specific requirements for Pillar 2 - Escrow / Trust Accounting, Pillar 4 - Recording & Pricing Procedures, Pillar 5 - Title Policy Procedures. As with Workshop I, this course reviews examples of Best Practices procedures and allows you to draft your own individual policies, procedures, and logs at your own pace.

Accreditation: NALA

Understanding Conservation Easement Trusts: Tax Implications and Beyond

A conservation easement is a voluntary, insurable, and legally binding agreement between a landowner and a land trust or government agency. The easement permanently limits uses in order to protect its conservation values while still providing landowners flexibility in protecting their land. In 2015, Congress enacted an enhanced federal tax incentive for conservation easement donations. This webinar will be of interest to all real estate practitioners and for those attorneys that handle estate planning and gift-giving matters.

 

 

Oh, What a Tangled Web it Makes When There is a Trust or Probate

This program will help you untangle the web of common trust and probate issues and assist you in finding a clear path to closing the transaction. Examples will be used to navigate the tangled webs of trust agreements and probate estates helping to pinpoint the critical elements to satisfy common B-1 requirements. Don’t let the tangled webs of trust and probate scare you.

 

Accreditation: NALA

Trusts, Estates and FIRPTA, Oh My!

Become familiar with the basics of dealing with the disposition of United States real property by trusts, estates, and gifts as well as other not as well-known foreign sellers of United States real property interests.

 

Accreditation: NALA

Passport Required?: The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act and the Settlement Agent

Become familiar with the basics of dealing with a FIRPTA transaction, including requirements related to obtaining a Taxpayer Identification Number, completing the appropriate Internal Revenue Service forms, determining if withholding is required or if the transaction fits within the withholding exceptions, remitting the tax, and protecting yourself from possible tax liabilities.

Accreditation: NALA

The Quality Assurance Review, "Now That's a Horse of a Different Color"

Get acquainted with the types of audits which are performed and the regulatory requirements which govern them.

Accreditation: NALA

Using Fund Resources to Maximize Your Closing Practice

This 50-minute webinar provides a guide to real estate attorneys in how to best access and use key resources to research real estate law and title insurance underwriting requirements. Resources include the Fund Title Notes, the Standard Commitment Clauses Handbook, and the Affidavit Practice Manual, as well as online and mobile sources such as the Fund website and mobile application.

 

Avoiding Title Claims in Your Real Estate Practice

Despite best intentions and practices, title claims are at times unavoidable. On other occasions, title claims are the result of negligence, unfamiliarity with a subject matter, or just plain fraud. This webinar will focus on the relationships between the closing agent, insured, underwriter and retained counsel, the most common types of claims and how they may be avoided, as well as an examination of the red flags of fraud most commonly seen by title insurance underwriters.

Accreditation: NALA

Using Fund Integrations in ClosingVue

Using ClosingVue’s integration with The Fund, you can quickly and easily place and import product orders, process CPL’s and jackets, and submit final policies and payment all from within ClosingVue, eliminating the need to re-key data, making it easy to do business with The Fund.   Join Lucretia Warren, The Fund’s Inside Software Sales Advisor, for a demonstration of how these Fund Integrations work in ClosingVue.