Estate planning attorneys · Coral Gables & Miami-Dade
Keep Your Family Out of Probate Court
Probate can be time-consuming, public and expensive. With the right planning, most families can pass their assets to loved ones without it. We design plans that avoid probate and keep your affairs private.
✓ Board Certified Wills, Trusts & Estates attorney on our team✓ Planning, probate & litigation experience✓ Clear, personal guidance
Talk with our planning team
Tell us a little about your goals and we will reach out to schedule your consultation.
Why avoid probate?
Probate is the court process that transfers assets owned in a person’s individual name after death. In Florida, even a straightforward formal administration usually takes several months, and the court file is public.
Because our firm handles probate administration every day, we see firsthand what families go through when there is no plan. We use that experience to design plans that keep assets out of court and make things easier for the people you leave behind.
Revocable living trusts
Funding your trust properly
Beneficiary designations on accounts and insurance
Payable-on-death and transfer-on-death accounts
Lady Bird deeds for Florida real estate
Planning for property in other states
Tools for avoiding probate
The best approach depends on your family and your assets. Most plans combine several of these tools.
Revocable Living Trusts
A trust you control during life that passes assets to your beneficiaries without probate.
Trust Funding
We help you retitle assets into your trust, because an unfunded trust cannot avoid probate.
Lady Bird Deeds
An enhanced life estate deed lets Florida real estate pass at death while you keep control during life.
Beneficiary Designations
We review retirement accounts, life insurance and accounts so they pass to the right people.
Out-of-State Property
Property in another state can trigger a second probate there. A trust can avoid it.
Lower Costs and Delay
Avoiding probate can reduce court costs and delay and keep your affairs private.
Discover
We talk through your family, your assets and your goals.
Evaluate
We identify which of your assets would go through probate today.
Strategy
You receive a plan designed to keep your family out of probate court.
A will alone does not avoid probate
Many people are surprised to learn that a will must go through probate to take effect. Avoiding probate requires planning how each asset is owned and who it passes to. The good news is that it can usually be done with a few well-coordinated steps.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. For advice about your situation, schedule a consultation.
Does a will avoid probate?
No. A will tells the probate court who should receive your assets, but assets passing under a will generally still go through probate.
Is a revocable trust enough?
Only if it is funded. Assets must be titled in the name of the trust or pass to it by beneficiary designation. We help you complete this step.
What is a Lady Bird deed?
A Lady Bird deed, also called an enhanced life estate deed, lets you keep full control of Florida real estate during your life and have it pass to your chosen beneficiaries at death without probate.
Does avoiding probate avoid taxes?
Not by itself. Probate and estate tax are separate. Larger estates may also need estate tax planning.
