Florida Statewide · 30+ Years of Experience
Estate
Planning
Custom Florida estate plans that protect your family, avoid probate where possible, prevent guardianship, and ensure your wishes are followed.
What is estate planning in Florida?
Estate planning is the process of deciding — in writing — what happens to your property, your minor children, and your medical care if you become incapacitated or pass away. Without a plan, Florida law decides for you.
A well-drafted Florida estate plan does four things: distributes your assets the way you want, avoids probate where possible, protects you from guardianship if you become incapacitated, and minimizes taxes and family conflict.
Whether you have a modest estate or significant business and real estate holdings, Lauren designs your plan around your family — not a template.
A complete plan protects against
- Probate court delays and costs
- Court-ordered guardianship if you become incapacitated
- Disputes between family members
- Unintended disinheritance of children or spouses
- Banks rejecting your power of attorney
- Loss of privacy through public probate filings
- Avoidable estate and income tax exposure
- Minor children inheriting outright at age 18
What documents make up a complete Florida estate plan?
Lauren reviews your situation and recommends the right combination — most clients need a coordinated set of these core documents.
Last Will and Testament
Directs how probate assets are distributed, names guardians for minor children, and appoints a personal representative.
Revocable Living Trust
Avoids probate, keeps your affairs private, and manages assets during incapacity. Requires proper funding to work.
Durable Power of Attorney
Authorizes a trusted agent to handle your financial and legal affairs if you become incapacitated.
Health Care Surrogate
Designates someone to make medical decisions for you when you cannot. Includes a HIPAA release.
Living Will
Your advance directive — instructions about life-prolonging treatment if you are terminal or in a permanent vegetative state.
Beneficiary Designations
Coordinated review of retirement accounts, life insurance, and POD/TOD accounts so they align with your overall plan.
2026 Pricing
How much does an estate plan cost?
Lauren publishes a clear, flat-fee pricing menu for estate planning packages and individual documents. View it online or download a copy for your records.
How can I avoid guardianship in Florida?
Florida guardianship proceedings are expensive, public, and intrusive — and they only happen when no plan is in place. Lauren places strong emphasis on incapacity planning so your chosen agents, not a court, make decisions for you.
Funded revocable living trust
Your successor trustee can manage trust assets the moment you can no longer act — without going to court.
Properly drafted durable POA
Florida banks routinely reject defective powers of attorney. Lauren drafts POAs that meet §709, F.S., requirements.
Health care surrogate + HIPAA release
Your chosen surrogate can speak with doctors and make medical decisions when you are unable to.
Living will
Your written instructions about end-of-life care, sparing your family from making impossible decisions on their own.
How does the estate planning process work?
Free Consultation
A 15-minute call to discuss your family, your goals, and your assets. Lauren explains what your plan should include.
Strategy & Drafting
Lauren designs a customized plan and drafts your documents — built around your specific family, not a template.
Review & Signing
You review every document, ask questions, and sign with proper Florida formalities (witnesses and notary as required).
Trust Funding
For trust-based plans, Lauren guides you through retitling assets so the trust actually works when needed.
Lauren Richardson Law serves clients throughout Florida. Initial consultations by phone or Zoom are available for clients outside the Gainesville area.
Florida Estate Planning FAQ
Do I need a will or a trust in Florida?
Many Floridians benefit from both. A will directs how assets pass through probate and names guardians for minor children. A revocable living trust avoids probate, keeps your affairs private, and provides for management of assets during incapacity. Sometimes probate of Florida real estate can be avoided with an enhanced life estate deed (a "ladybird" deed) instead of a trust. Lauren reviews your situation and recommends the right combination.
What documents are part of a complete Florida estate plan?
A complete estate plan typically includes a Last Will and Testament, a Revocable Living Trust or Ladybird Deed (when appropriate), a Durable Power of Attorney, a Designation of Health Care Surrogate, a Living Will (advance directive), a HIPAA release, and updated beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, bank accounts, investment accounts, and life insurance.
How does a Florida revocable living trust avoid probate?
Assets titled in the name of a properly funded revocable trust pass directly to your beneficiaries under the terms of the trust, without court involvement. Probate only governs assets titled in your individual name without a beneficiary designation. Trust funding — actually transferring your assets into the trust — is what makes the strategy work.
What is a durable power of attorney in Florida?
A durable power of attorney lets a trusted person handle your financial and legal affairs if you become incapacitated. Florida requires specific formalities under §709.2105, F.S., and certain "superpowers" (like making gifts or creating trusts) must be specifically initialed. A poorly drafted POA may be rejected by banks.
How can I avoid guardianship in Florida?
Court-ordered guardianship is expensive, public, and intrusive. The best protection is incapacity planning: a properly drafted durable power of attorney, designation of health care surrogate, living will, and a funded revocable living trust. With these in place, your chosen agents can act for you without court involvement.
How often should I update my estate plan?
Review your plan every 3–5 years and after any major life event: marriage, divorce, the birth of a child or grandchild, the death of a beneficiary, a significant change in assets, a move to or from Florida, or major changes in tax law.
Build Your Plan, Protect Your Family.
Lauren Richardson has designed customized estate plans for hundreds of Florida families over 30+ years. Call for a free 15-minute consultation.