Putting off your will in Fort Lauderdale? Florida's rules reward getting it right.
A good estate plan is a gift to the people you love — it spares them confusion, cost, and conflict at the worst possible time. Florida has no state estate tax and strong homestead protections, but it also has specific rules about how wills are signed and what a spouse is owed. These Fort Lauderdale firms get the details right.
These Fort Lauderdale estate-planning firms handle wills, revocable living trusts, powers of attorney, health-care directives, Medicaid and elder-law planning, and probate. Florida has its own quirks — strict witnessing requirements, homestead-devise restrictions, and a spousal elective share — that make do-it-yourself plans risky. A local attorney makes sure your documents actually work when they are needed, and that your family avoids a longer Broward probate than necessary.
How we picked these firms: We reviewed peer rankings and directories (Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Avvo, Justia, Expertise.com, FindLaw), client-review patterns, board certifications, and bar recognition. Only firms confirmed across at least two independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. A note on the count: we publish only firms that cleared our two-source verification bar, so this guide lists 7 firms rather than a padded ten. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Wills, trusts, Medicaid planning, probate
Strong client reviews for living trusts and Medicaid planning, with attorney Barry Siegel known for assessing family dynamics before structuring a plan. A good fit for elder-law and long-term-care questions.
Practice focus: Medicaid planning, estate planning, probate, elder law
Attorney Jason Neufeld carries a top 10/10 peer rating and focuses on Medicaid and asset-protection planning. The right call if nursing-home costs or long-term care are the looming concern.
Practice focus: Estate planning, asset protection, probate
Attorney Phillip B. Rarick is AV-Preeminent rated with more than 30 years in estate planning and integrated asset-protection plans. A seasoned choice for higher-net-worth or business-owner families.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, foreclosure defense
A top-rated (10/10) Broward attorney handling wills, trusts, and probate with a client-friendly, plain-English approach.
Practice focus: Wills, trusts, probate
A long-standing Fort Lauderdale estate-planning solo with consistently strong directory ratings. Good for a straightforward will or trust without a big-firm price tag.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate
Reviewers credit attorney Shawn Newman with compassionate, clear guidance through probate — valuable when you are settling an estate during grief.
Practice focus: Estate planning, business, real estate
A Fort Lauderdale firm offering wills, trusts, and legacy planning alongside business and real-estate work — convenient if your estate includes a company or rental property.
Tell us about your situation and we will match you with vetted estate planning attorneys in Fort Lauderdale. Free, confidential, no obligation.
A simple Florida will is often flat-fee, around $300 to $600. A full revocable living-trust plan — trust, pour-over will, durable power of attorney, health-care surrogate, and living will — generally runs $1,800 to $3,500 for an individual and $2,500 to $4,500 for a couple. Medicaid and asset-protection planning is priced case by case. Most firms here offer a free first consultation.
Most estate-planning documents are drafted, reviewed, and signed within two to four weeks. Probate is a separate process: a Broward summary administration (for smaller or older estates) often takes one to three months, while a formal administration usually runs six to twelve months, sometimes longer if there is a dispute.
Florida has no state estate or inheritance tax. Your plan focuses on avoiding probate, protecting the homestead, and providing for your family — not on a state death tax, because Florida does not have one. That simplifies planning compared with many states.
Wills must be signed exactly right. A Florida will must be signed by you and two witnesses, all present together. To make it "self-proving" and speed up probate, you add a notary (Statutes 732.502 and 732.503). Get the signing wrong and the will can fail.
Homestead has special devise rules. Florida's constitution restricts how you can leave your homestead if you have a spouse or minor child. A plan that ignores these rules can be partly void. This is a common DIY trap.
A spouse has an elective share. Florida gives a surviving spouse the right to claim an elective share — 30% of the elective estate — regardless of what the will says. Planning around this matters for blended families.
Most firms on this list offer a free first consultation. Use it — and talk to at least two before you commit. The right fit depends on your facts, your budget, and how the attorney communicates. A few questions cut through the marketing fast.
Most Fort Lauderdale firms are competent and ethical. A few are not. The patterns worth walking away from:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees a recovery, a dismissal, or an approval, leave.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior attorney at intake, then never speak to them again. Ask in writing who your day-to-day lawyer will be.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the agreement in writing and time to read it. High-pressure intake is a sign of a volume mill.
Vague fee terms. "Don't worry about cost" is a red flag. Every legitimate firm gives you a written engagement letter spelling out the fee and what triggers extra charges.
Most people need a will at minimum. A revocable living trust is worth it if you want to avoid probate, own property in more than one state, or value privacy. A lawyer matches the tool to your situation in a free consult.
A simple will is often $300 to $600. A full trust-based plan runs roughly $1,800 to $3,500 for an individual and $2,500 to $4,500 for a couple, including powers of attorney and health directives.
Your property passes by Florida's intestacy statute, which may not match your wishes — and it can leave a surviving spouse and children dividing the estate in ways you would not have chosen. Probate is also typically slower.
Assets properly titled in a funded revocable living trust avoid probate. The key word is funded — a trust only works for assets you actually transfer into it, which is where a lawyer's follow-through matters.
Legal strategies, done in advance, to help you qualify for Medicaid long-term-care coverage while protecting assets within the rules. Several firms on this list focus on it. Timing is critical because of look-back periods.
Summary administration, for smaller or older estates, often takes one to three months. Formal administration usually runs six to twelve months, longer if someone contests the will or there are creditor issues.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews, call two or three firms, and ask each one how many cases like yours they have handled in the last three years. The answer tells you most of what you need to know. — The LawFirmSquare team