Estate Planning Attorney in Coral Gables, FL
Secure Your Estate and Protect Your Family's Future
Your Assets and Family Deserve a Personalized Estate Plan
If you think you don’t have an estate plan, you actually do. It’s what Florida law decides for you. The state has default rules that will determine who gets your assets, who makes medical and financial decisions on your behalf if you cannot, and who will raise your minor kids. Those state rules don’t know your family, your intentions, or who you really are.
Without a plan in place, a judge in Miami-Dade fills in the blanks. By the time most families realize it, there’s nothing left to do but deal with the consequences.
We've Seen What Happens to Families Without a Plan. We're Here to Make Sure It Doesn't Happen to You
When you come to us, you’re working with an estate planning attorney who has practiced in Miami-Dade County for decades, knows the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, and understands the specific quirks of Florida law that affect homeowners in Coral Gables—the homestead rules, the witnessing requirements, and the Medicaid implications of how a deed is titled.
The details that a generic online document will never catch.
What Your Life Will Look Like When You Have an Estate Plan
Your family knows exactly who gets what. There’s no court involvement, no judge making decisions you should have made, and no one left guessing at what you would have wanted. Your spouse isn’t locked out of accounts. Your children have the guardian you chose. Your home goes to the people you love—not through a yearlong probate process, but directly and immediately. You took care of it, so they don’t have to.
Our Estate Planning Services
Every estate plan is unique to our client’s situation and goals, but there are core documents involved:
Wills
Without a valid will, a judge in Miami-Dade will decide who inherits your assets and who will be the guardian of your minor children. We draft wills that stand strong under the law and support your family.
Trusts
A trust bypasses probate and smoothly directs assets to your chosen beneficiaries. We create personalized trusts that keep your family out of court entirely.
Durable Power of Attorney
Without this document, your family will probably have to petition a Miami-Dade court for guardianship just to access your accounts or pay your bills if you’re unable to do so. Keep the power in your hands.
Lady Bird Deeds
A Lady Bird Deed is unique to Florida (being only one of the five states that allow it) and is very useful. It transfers your home to whoever you appoint without probate or court involvement. It doesn’t affect Medicaid eligibility or your control over the property.
Living Wills
A living will tells your doctors exactly what kind of treatment you do (and don't) want if you're ever in a terminal condition and need end-of-life care. This saves your family a lot of distress and conflict over what you would’ve wanted.
What our customers say
Answering Commonly Asked Estate Planning Questions
What happens to my home in Coral Gables if I die without a will?
Florida treats your main residence differently from every other asset you own. If you have a surviving spouse and children from a previous relationship, your home doesn’t automatically go to one or the other; it can be legally split between them in a way no one agreed to. That means your spouse could be sharing ownership of the family home with your kids from a prior marriage, with no clear direction.
I moved to Miami-Dade from up north. Does my existing estate plan still work down here?
It might or it might not. The best option would be to ask an estate planning attorney. Florida has its own execution requirements for wills under § 732.502 and its own rules for powers of attorney as well. Plans created in somewhere like New Jersey or New York might not meet Florida’s legal standards, and the banks in Coral Gables are increasingly strict about rejecting anything that doesn’t comply. The safest bet is just to ask an estate planning attorney.
My spouse and I own property together in Miami-Dade. Do we each need our own estate plan?
Yes. How your property is titled (whether as joint tenants, tenants in common, or tenants by the entirety) determines what happens to it when one of you passes, and each scenario has different legal consequences under Florida law. Beyond that, each of you needs your own healthcare directive and power of attorney, because those documents are individual and cannot be shared.
At what point does a trust actually make more sense than a will for a Miami-Dade family?
If you own real estate in Coral Gables, have a solid amount of accounts above a modest threshold, or want to avoid the time and cost of Miami-Dade’s probate process, a trust is almost always the better choice. Probate in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit is public, supervised, and slow. A trust bypasses all of it. But, if you don’t own much, a will is a good bet. We can review both with you.
Schedule your consultation with Family Life Law Today
If you’re dealing with an estate planning, probate, or family law matter and want to understand your options, contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Martha Mendez
Martha Mendez, Esq. is a highly dedicated attorney with seven years of experience specializing in elder and estate planning, real estate, and family law. Her unique professional journey—rising from a legal secretary and paralegal to an attorney—reflects a deep commitment to the field, culminating in a Juris Doctor earned cum laude from St. Thomas University. A member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Martha is passionate about protecting her clients' assets and navigating complex life transitions with expertise. When she isn't advocating for her clients, the Florida International University alumna enjoys boating, kayaking, and traveling with her husband and three children.