Opinion ID: 1848390
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: applicability of sections 726.105, 222.29, and 222.30 to the homestead exemption

Text: Section 726.105, Florida Statutes (2000), of the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act provides in pertinent part: Transfers fraudulent as to present and future creditors. (1) A transfer made or obligation incurred by a debtor is fraudulent as to a creditor, whether the creditor's claim arose before or after the transfer was made or the obligation was incurred, if the debtor made the transfer or incurred the obligation: (a) With actual intent to hinder, delay, or defraud any creditor of the debtor.... The federal courts which have addressed the applicability of section 726.105 to homestead claims have concluded that it has no effect on the constitutionally created homestead exemption. See In re Levine, 134 F.3d 1046, 1051 (11th Cir.1998) (applying section 726.105 to statutorily-exempt annuities in concluding that Florida law's near absolute protection of legally created exemptions relates to the constitutionally-protected homestead exemption rather than the statutorily-created exemption for annuities.); In re Young, 235 B.R. 666, 671 (Bkrtcy.M.D.Fla.1999) (Under basic rules of construction, statutory laws enacted by legislative bodies cannot impair rights given under a constitution.). We agree. The legislature is powerless to affect the rights provided under the homestead exemption through statutory enactments. See Osterndorf v. Turner, 426 So.2d 539, 544 (Fla.1982) (quoting Sparkman v. State ex rel. Scott, 58 So.2d 431, 432 (Fla.1952)) (Express or implied provisions of the Constitution cannot be altered, contracted or enlarged by legislative enactments.). Accordingly, we reach the same conclusion as to sections 222.29 and 222.30. [13]