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Practical perspectives on Florida law.

Short, useful articles on the estate planning, probate, real estate, business, construction, HOA, elder law, and injury questions Florida families, owners, and businesses ask most.

Personal Injury

What to Do After a Car Accident in Florida

The right moves after a Florida crash โ€” from the scene to the 14-day PIP medical deadline โ€” and how to protect an injury claim.

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Personal Injury

Florida Personal Injury Deadline: The 2-Year Statute of Limitations

Florida's 2023 reform cut the injury deadline to two years. The statute of limitations, key exceptions, and why delay is costly.

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Personal Injury

Florida Comparative Negligence: How Fault Affects Your Claim

Florida's 2023 rule: damages drop with your share of fault, and over 50% fault means no recovery. How shared blame works now.

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Personal Injury

Florida No-Fault & PIP Insurance: What It Covers After a Crash

Florida's no-fault system: how PIP's $10,000 works, the 14-day rule, and when a serious injury lets you sue the at-fault driver.

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Personal Injury

Slip and Fall Claims in Florida: Premises Liability Explained

A Florida slip-and-fall isn't automatic. The notice rule under F.S. ยง 768.0755, what you must prove, and why evidence vanishes fast.

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Personal Injury

Florida Wrongful Death Claims: Who Can File and What's Recoverable

Florida's Wrongful Death Act: who can file, what survivors can recover, and the strict two-year deadline after a fatal accident.

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Personal Injury

Florida Dog Bite Law: When the Owner Is Liable

Florida holds dog owners strictly liable for bites (F.S. ยง 767.04) โ€” no "one free bite." When owners are liable and what can reduce recovery.

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Personal Injury

What Affects the Value of a Florida Personal Injury Claim

No tool can promise a number. The real drivers of a Florida injury claim's value โ€” damages, injury severity, fault, and insurance limits.

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Estate Planning

Online Estate Planning vs. a Traditional Attorney in Florida

Online service, traditional attorney, or both? A side-by-side comparison of cost, Florida-law accuracy, and risk โ€” and the attorney-reviewed middle path most families actually want.

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Estate Planning

The Florida Estate Kit: Estate Planning Online

Create a complete, attorney-reviewed Florida estate plan online โ€” revocable trust, will, powers of attorney, and health care documents โ€” without the traditional price tag.

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Estate Planning

How Much Does Estate Planning Cost in Florida?

From a few hundred dollars for a DIY form to $5,000+ at a traditional firm โ€” here's what Florida estate planning actually costs, and what you get at each level.

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Estate Planning

Florida Probate: What It Costs and How to Avoid It

Florida probate runs 3โ€“5% of the gross estate and 6โ€“18 months. Here's what it really costs, how long it takes, and three reliable ways to avoid it.

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Estate Planning

What Happens If You Die Without a Will in Florida?

Die without a will and Florida's intestacy statute decides who inherits โ€” not you. See who gets your home and assets, and why even a simple will matters.

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Estate Planning

The Florida Irrevocable Trust

Irrevocable trusts offer asset protection, Medicaid planning, and tax control a revocable trust can't. Here's when a Florida family actually needs one.

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Elder Law

Florida Special Needs Trusts

Leaving money directly to a disabled loved one can cost them SSI and Medicaid. A special needs trust preserves the inheritance without ending their benefits.

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Estate Planning

Health Care Surrogate & Living Will in Florida

A health care surrogate names who makes medical decisions if you can't; a living will states your end-of-life wishes. Here's how each works under Florida law.

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Estate Planning

Estate Planning for Married Couples in Florida

Joint trust or separate trusts? Florida's elective share and homestead rules shape every married couple's plan. Here's how to protect each other and your heirs.

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Estate Planning

Digital Assets in Your Florida Estate Plan

Crypto, online accounts, and digital files can be lost forever without a plan. Here's how Florida's RUFADAA law lets you pass on your digital life.

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Estate Planning

Florida Estate Planning Checklist: Where to Start

Estate planning feels overwhelming until you break it into steps. Here are the five core documents every Florida resident needs, what each does, and a clear order to tackle them.

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Estate Planning

Probate vs. Trust Administration in Florida

After death, an estate is settled one of two ways: public probate court or private trust administration. Compare the cost, timeline, and steps โ€” and see what your family will actually face.

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Estate Planning

Estate Planning for Blended Families in Florida

Second marriages and stepchildren make planning complex โ€” and Florida's elective share and homestead law can override your wishes. Here's how a QTIP trust protects both your spouse and your children.

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Estate Planning

Florida Pet Trusts: Providing for Your Pet

A verbal promise to care for your pet isn't enforceable in Florida โ€” but a pet trust under F.S. 736.0408 is. Here's how to set money aside and legally guarantee your companion is cared for.

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Estate Planning

The Florida Revocable Living Trust

For most Florida homeowners, the revocable living trust is the centerpiece โ€” it avoids probate, stays private, and plans for incapacity. Here's how it works, what it costs, and the one step everyone gets wrong.

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Estate Planning

How to Make a Will in Florida

A valid Florida will requires two witnesses โ€” and getting it wrong can void the entire document. Here are the exact steps, the witness rules, and how online wills work in Florida.

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Estate Planning

Is Your Florida Will Actually Valid?

Florida throws out wills that miss the formalities โ€” and a handwritten will usually fails. Here's what the statute requires and the grounds on which a will can be contested.

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Estate Planning

Are Online Wills Legal in Florida?

Yes โ€” Florida recognizes fully electronic wills, signed and witnessed by remote notarization. Here's how the law works, and where do-it-yourself forms still go wrong.

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Estate Planning

POD, TOD & Beneficiary Designations in Florida

Some accounts pass to your heirs without probate โ€” and without a trust. But beneficiary forms override your will, and used alone they quietly defeat plans. Here's how they really work.

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Estate Planning

How to Change or Revoke a Will in Florida

Life changes, and your will should keep up โ€” but crossing out a line can do real damage. Codicils, new wills, revocation, and what divorce does automatically in Florida.

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Probate

The Florida Personal Representative (Executor)

Florida limits who is even allowed to serve as executor โ€” most out-of-state friends can't. Here's the role, the residency rule, and how to choose the right person.

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Real Estate

How Should I Title My Florida Home?

Trust, joint tenancy, tenancy by the entireties, lady bird deed โ€” Florida gives property owners more options than most states. Here's how to think through the decision.

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Estate Planning

I Moved to Florida. Do I Need to Redo My Estate Plan?

Almost always yes. Florida's homestead protections, spousal rights, and probate rules are unlike any other state โ€” and an out-of-state plan often produces results Florida families didn't intend.

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Elder Law

When Should I Start Medicaid Planning?

The five-year lookback period is the most important concept in Florida Medicaid planning โ€” and the most misunderstood. Here's what it means and why it rewards early action.

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Real Estate

What Is a Lady Bird Deed โ€” and Is It Right for You?

Florida is one of only a handful of states that recognizes the enhanced life estate deed. It can be a clean probate-avoidance tool โ€” but it's not right for every situation.

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Estate Planning

The Binder Problem: Why Most Estate Plans Don't Work

Most Florida families sign their documents, take home a binder, and never open it again. The plan looks complete. It usually isn't. Here's what's almost always missing.

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Elder Law

Will Medicaid Take My Home?

The two most common answers โ€” "yes, Medicaid takes everything" and "no, your home is protected" โ€” are both usually wrong. Florida homestead rules are nuanced and worth understanding.

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Real Estate

Should My Trust Own My Florida Real Estate?

Putting real estate into a revocable trust avoids probate and simplifies transfer โ€” but it can affect homestead protection, property tax, and creditor exposure. Here's how to think through the tradeoffs.

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Estate Planning

Do I Need a Will, a Trust, or Both?

The answer depends on what you own, how it's titled, and what you're trying to accomplish. For most Florida families with real estate, the trust is the centerpiece โ€” but it's not universal.

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Elder Law

Power of Attorney vs. Guardianship: What's the Difference?

A durable power of attorney is created in advance, by someone who still has capacity. Guardianship is what happens when that planning didn't happen. One costs hundreds. The other costs tens of thousands.

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Estate Planning

How Long Does Probate Take in Florida?

Most Florida estates settle in 6 to 12 months โ€” but summary administration can finish in weeks, and a 2026 law just doubled the threshold. Here's the full process, timeline, and cost, step by step.

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Estate Planning

Can You Disinherit a Spouse in Florida?

No matter what your will says, a Florida spouse can claim 30% of a broad pool of your assets. Here's how the elective share works, what counts, and the only reliable way to plan around it.

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Elder Law

Florida Guardianship โ€” and How to Avoid It

Guardianship is what happens when incapacity strikes and no planning was done โ€” a court takes over and the family pays for years. Four documents, signed in advance, almost always prevent it.

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Real Estate

Quitclaim vs. Warranty Deed in Florida

The wrong deed can leave a buyer with no protection โ€” or expose a seller to claims they never meant to make. Here's the plain-English difference, and when each one is the right tool.

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Estate Planning

Does Florida Have an Estate or Inheritance Tax?

No state estate tax, no inheritance tax, no state income tax โ€” Florida is one of the most tax-friendly states for passing on wealth. Here's what that means for your heirs, and the taxes that still apply.

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Real Estate

Tenancy by the Entireties: Protection for Married Couples

How married Florida couples title their home and accounts can mean the difference between protected and exposed. Built-in creditor protection and automatic survivorship โ€” with important limits.

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Probate

Florida Ancillary Probate for Non-Residents & Foreign Owners

When someone who lived in another state or country dies owning Florida real estate, the property usually must pass through Florida ancillary probate (Fla.

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Probate

Florida Summary Administration: The Fast-Track Probate

Florida summary administration is a streamlined probate for estates of $150,000 or less, or when the person died more than two years ago

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Probate

How Much Does Summary Administration Cost in Florida?

Florida summary administration costs, itemized for 2026: attorney fees ($1,500โ€“$3,500+ at most firms;

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Probate

Florida Summary Administration Forms: The Complete Document Checklist

Every document a Florida summary administration requires: the verified petition under Rule 5.530 (all 12 required elements), certified death certificate,โ€ฆ

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Probate

Florida Summary Administration With a House: Homestead, Title, and the $150,000 Question

Can you use Florida summary administration when the estate includes a home? Usually yes โ€” protected homestead doesn't count toward the $150,000 limit.

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Probate

Florida Doubled the Summary Administration Limit to $150,000: Who Qualifies Now

Effective July 1, 2026, Florida raised the summary administration threshold from $75,000 to $150,000 of non-exempt probate assets.

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Probate

How Long Does Summary Administration Take in Florida? (Realistic 2026 Timeline)

A realistic Florida summary administration timeline: 3โ€“8 weeks from filing to signed orders in most uncontested cases, with some counties faster and busyโ€ฆ

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Probate

Florida's Two-Year Probate Rule: Settling an Estate Years After Death

When someone died more than two years ago, Florida summary administration is available at ANY estate size โ€” creditor claims are barred by ยง 733.710.

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Probate

How to Avoid Probate in Florida

Six proven ways to avoid probate in Florida โ€” living trusts, beneficiary designations, lady bird deeds, joint ownership, and more.

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Probate

What Happens to Your Debt When You Die in Florida?

Does your family inherit your debt in Florida? A Florida attorney explains how debts, credit cards, and mortgages are handled at death

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Estate Planning

Estate Planning for Florida Retirees

A Florida attorney's estate planning guide for retirees โ€” living trusts, avoiding probate, homestead, powers of attorney, and protecting your home and savings.

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Estate Planning

Estate Planning for New Parents in Florida

New parents in Florida: how to name a guardian for your children, set up a will, and protect your family. A Florida attorney's plain-English guide.

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Estate Planning

Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples in Florida

In Florida, an unmarried partner has no automatic inheritance or medical decision rights.

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Estate Planning

The 4 Legal Documents Every Florida 18-Year-Old Needs

When your child turns 18, you lose legal access to their medical, financial, and school information. The four documents that fix it in Florida

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Estate Planning

Cross-Border Estate Planning for Florida Property

A non-U.S. citizen who dies owning Florida real estate directly gets just a $60,000 U.S. estate-tax exemption โ€” not $13.99M โ€” with rates to 40%.

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Estate Planning

10 Florida Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid

The most common estate planning mistakes Florida families make โ€” from unfunded trusts to outdated beneficiaries โ€” and how to avoid them.

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Estate Planning

How Much Does a Living Trust Cost in Florida?

What a revocable living trust costs in Florida in 2026 โ€” attorney fees vs. flat-fee online options, what's included, and how to decide.

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Estate Planning

What Is a Pour-Over Will in Florida?

A pour-over will is the safety net for your living trust. A Florida attorney explains what it does, why you need one with a trust, and how it works in Florida.

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Estate Planning

How Much Does a Will Cost in Florida?

What a will costs in Florida in 2026 โ€” attorney fees vs. flat-fee online options, what's included, and whether a cheap online will is valid.

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Estate Planning

How to Fund a Living Trust in Florida (Step by Step)

An unfunded trust avoids nothing. A Florida attorney's step-by-step guide to funding your living trust โ€” real estate, accounts, and beneficiary designations.

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Estate Planning

Moving to Florida? Your Estate Planning Checklist

New to Florida? A Florida attorney's checklist for updating your will, trust, powers of attorney, and homestead after a move

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Elder Law

Does Medicaid Take Your House in Florida?

Your Florida home is usually safe from Medicaid while you're alive โ€” homestead is an exempt asset.

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Elder Law

Florida Medicaid Asset Protection: How to Qualify Without Losing Everything

Florida Medicaid for nursing home care has a $2,000 asset limit and a 5-year lookback

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Elder Law

Florida Nursing Home Costs & Who Pays (2026): Medicare vs. Medicaid

Florida nursing-home care runs about $10,000โ€“$12,000 a month, and Medicare only covers short-term rehab โ€” not long-term care.

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Elder Law

When Do You Need an Elder Law Attorney in Florida?

An elder law attorney handles the legal side of aging โ€” long-term care, Medicaid, incapacity, and guardianship.

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Business Law

Estate Planning for Business Owners in Florida

A Florida attorney's guide to estate planning for business owners โ€” succession, buy-sell agreements, trusts, and keeping your company out of probate.

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Business Law

Buy-Sell Agreements & Business Succession in Florida

A buy-sell agreement decides what happens to a Florida business when an owner dies, divorces, becomes disabled, or exits โ€” and life insurance funds the buyout.

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Business Law

Florida LLC Operating Agreement: What It Must Cover

Florida doesn't require an LLC operating agreement โ€” but running without one is a costly risk.

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Business Law

Foreign-Investor Holding Structures for Florida Real Estate

Should a foreign investor buy Florida real estate in their own name, a U.S.

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Business Law

How to Form an LLC in Florida: Step-by-Step

How to start a Florida LLC: file Articles of Organization on Sunbiz under Chapter 605, name a registered agent, pay the $125 fee, adopt an operating agreement,โ€ฆ

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Construction

Florida Construction Defect Claims & Chapter 558

Defective construction in Florida? Before you sue, Chapter 558 generally requires a pre-suit notice giving the contractor a chance to inspect and cure.

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Construction

Florida Construction Liens & Notice to Owner: The 2026 Guide

Florida construction liens run on strict deadlines: 45 days for a Notice to Owner, 90 days to record the lien, one year to enforce it.

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Construction

Florida Contractor Disputes: Homeowner & Contractor Remedies

Non-payment, abandonment, bad work, change-order fights, and unlicensed contractors

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HOA & Condo

Florida Condo Milestone Inspections & SIRS: The 2026 Deadlines Explained

Florida's milestone inspection (F.S.

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Real Estate

Do I Need a Real Estate Attorney to Buy a House in Florida?

Florida doesn't legally require a real estate attorney to close

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Real Estate

EB-5 & Florida Real Estate: How Foreign Investors Get a Green Card

How the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program works through Florida real estate

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Real Estate

FIRPTA Explained: Selling Florida Property as a Foreign Owner

FIRPTA requires the buyer to withhold up to 15% of the gross sale price when a foreign person sells U.S. real estate.

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Real Estate

Florida 1031 Exchange: A Property Owner's Guide

A 1031 exchange lets you defer capital gains tax when you sell Florida investment property and reinvest in like-kind real estate. Here are the rules

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Real Estate

Can a Foreigner Buy Property in Florida?

Foreign nationals can buy most Florida real estate with no citizenship or residency requirement

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Real Estate

What Does a Real Estate Attorney Do at a Florida Closing?

In Florida a title company can close, but a real estate attorney does what a closing agent can't

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Personal Injury

Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in Florida?

Not every Florida injury needs a lawyer โ€” but many do, and the 2023 law changes raised the stakes.

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