Central Florida Estate Planning & Probate
Let us guide you through some of the most important decisions you'll ever make.
With a well-crafted estate plan, you have the opportunity to pass down family values along with heirlooms and tangible property. You are able to protect the people you care about from predators, creditors, family strife and months of probate proceedings. You can prepare for others to legally act on your behalf if the need arises; for a lawsuit you never saw coming; and to make the most of your assets.
Your Caring Law Firm will accommodate your needs without trying to fit you into a one-size-fits-all plan. We can craft sophisticated, layered tax and estate plans as well as brilliantly simple solutions. Whether you have a large family, or have just recently graduated, you have assets to protect!
We can make Florida probate and trust administrations easier.
We fully recognize the emotional challenges of preparing for the time when you will pass on your assets, values and family legacy to your heirs and loved ones. We also recognize the confusion – and even helplessness – that often occurs in families after they’ve lost a loved one, irrespective of whether all legal documents are in order.
That’s why it’s important to have legal counsel you feel comfortable with, you may confide in, and you may trust – especially for those who may be in the process of grieving while handling the affairs of a loved one who died intestate (without a will.)
We have extensive experience with Orange County, Seminole County, Volusia County, Lake County and Osceola County probate courts. We have guided clients through probate in nearly every county in Florida, and can work with you remotely as well.
Florida Probate & Trust Admin
Knowing where to start can be daunting, especially in the middle of the grieving process. We will assist you throughout the court proceedings or trust administration whether you are named as personal representative, trustee, or a beneficiary.
Married Estate Planning
All families are modern families! Protecting your traditions, legacy and assets is where we excel.
We can help you plan for your future, and create documents that safeguard your children.
Even married couples don’t have all of the rights and protections that a good estate plan will give them…
Single Estate Planning
Estate planning is just as important, if not more so, for single parents or those in non-traditional partnerships. We are here to help you protect your loved ones.
Whether you’re a young adult, or further along in your life’s journey, all adults need estate planning documents!
Once you’re 18, you’ll want to make sure you legally give your parents, or other trusted adults the right to help you. See attorney Bailey’s free ebook, 18 and On Your Own.
Unmarried Partners
Let us craft an estate plan that offers you both the legal shields and benefits of marriage.
Same-sex and LGBTQ couples, whether married or unmarried, require plans that can negotiate the shifting landscapes of State and Federal laws. We have the experience you need.
Asset Protection
In a nutshell, if you own things, and you’d like to keep them, we help you to legally protect your assets from creditors and predators. Many of our clients tell us that they do not want their wealth to be used to support their daughter-in-law’s next husband. Nor do they want their family-owned business to be taken away in a lawsuit resulting from a car accident.
Our goal is to help you thoughtfully create entities to hold wealth. We counsel our clients about inside liabilities vs. outside liabilities and will help you to become unattractive to predators.
Attorney Merrell Bailey is experienced with helping clients protect their Florida Lottery winnings and their privacy.
Special Needs Trusts
A properly drafted and properly maintained special needs trust is a great vehicle to meet the needs of special needs individuals. We’ll also guide you in creating a team that will include a guardian, a trustee, a financial planner, an attorney, an accountant, advocacy groups, friends and family in order to make sure the special needs individual is properly cared for and public benefits are preserved.
Our history & expertise
