Florida homestead, no state income or estate tax, revocable living trusts, and the lady-bird deed shape what a good Tampa estate plan looks like.
Florida is a probate state. A Tampa estate plan typically includes a revocable living trust, pour-over will, durable power of attorney, designation of healthcare surrogate, living will, HIPAA release, and (for real estate) either a lady-bird deed or trust-titling. Hillsborough County probate is supervised, takes 6 to 14 months, and is a public record — most Tampa families pay to avoid it. These ten firms are recognized by Florida Bar Board Certification in Wills, Trusts, and Estates, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, and consistent peer rankings.
These ten Tampa estate planning firms were selected based on Florida Bar Board Certification in Wills, Trusts, and Estates, Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers recognition, AV Preeminent ratings, and consistent surfacing on Avvo, Justia, and FindLaw. We do not accept payment for placement.
How we picked these 10: We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology → | How to compare firms →
Practice focus: Wills, trusts, estate administration, estate litigation
Tampa estate planning firm; founder Phillip A. Baumann has concentrated in Wills, Trusts, and Estates for 40+ years; widely respected statewide.
Strong fit when you want a senior, dedicated estate practice with deep Florida tax and probate experience.
Practice focus: Trusts, estates, tax-exempt organizations, family business succession
AmLaw 100 firm with a substantial Tampa office; William R. Lane Jr. and team practice in trusts, estates, tax-exempt organizations, and family business succession.
Strong fit for high-net-worth families, family business succession, and charitable structures.
Practice focus: Trusts, estates, tax planning, charitable planning
Tampa-headquartered law firm with a Trusts and Estates group; Patrick J. Duffey recognized by Best Lawyers in Trusts and Estates.
Strong fit for high-net-worth Tampa families and complex tax-driven planning.
Practice focus: Estate planning, elder law, Medicaid planning, probate
Tampa boutique focused on estate planning and elder law including wills, trusts, Medicaid planning, and probate administration.
Strong fit when the planning must anticipate long-term care, Medicaid eligibility, or guardianship.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, guardianships
Tampa boutique led by Lori Vella (20+ years) covering wills, trusts, advanced directives, probate, and guardianships.
Strong fit when you want a single attorney handling the matter from intake to signing.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, asset protection
Tampa estate planning boutique with a transparent flat-fee model focused on first-time planners and small-business owners.
Strong fit when you want clear flat-fee pricing and a relationship-focused practice.
Practice focus: Estate planning, trust administration, probate
Tampa Bay estate planning boutique with strong client reviews; founder Kira Doyle praised for client service across personal and business estate planning.
Strong fit when you want a small-firm experience with strong client communication.
Practice focus: Elder law, Medicaid planning, estate planning, guardianships
Tampa elder-law-focused practice combining estate planning with Medicaid planning, long-term care planning, and guardianships.
Strong fit when the family is dealing with aging-parent or nursing-home planning.
Practice focus: Estate planning, trust funding, family wealth
Tampa boutique focused on estate planning with a modern, education-first client experience.
Strong fit when you want a modern delivery model and proactive funding follow-up.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, real estate, business law
Long-established Tampa firm with an estate planning and probate group; listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.
Strong fit when the estate plan needs coordination with a Tampa real estate transaction or family business.
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Fit your situation, not just the practice area. A estate planning firm that mostly handles executive or high-net-worth matters is a different fit from one that mostly handles middle-class or small-business matters. Call the firm and ask: "What does a typical client look like for you? What does a typical case look like?" If the answer is your situation, you are in the right place.
Ask who actually handles the case. Many firms market on the senior partner and route day-to-day work to a junior associate. That is not automatically bad — junior associates can be excellent — but you should know who you are working with. Ask: "Who will I be talking to day-to-day? How often does the senior partner sit in?"
Compare quotes side by side. Most Tampa firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use two of them. Compare fee structure, retainer terms, and the answers to the same set of questions across firms.
Most Tampa estate planning lawyers charge flat fees. A simple will and durable power of attorney for a single person runs $450 to $1,000. A married-couple package with wills, financial and medical surrogate documents, living wills, and HIPAA releases runs $1,000 to $2,200. A revocable living trust package — trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney, healthcare surrogate, lady-bird deed for the homestead, and funding instructions — runs $2,500 to $5,500 for a typical couple and $6,500 to $12,000 for couples with business interests, blended families, or special-needs planning. Larger firms (Holland & Knight, Hill Ward Henderson) bill hourly at $475 to $900 for higher-net-worth families and sophisticated tax planning.
A simple Tampa estate plan takes two to four weeks: intake (1 hour), drafting (1 to 2 weeks), signing meeting (45 minutes to 1 hour, with witnesses and notary). A revocable trust with funding (retitling the homestead by lady-bird deed, retitling brokerage and bank accounts, updating beneficiaries) takes four to eight weeks. Business-succession and special-needs plans run six to ten weeks.
Probate routes to the Probate Division of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (Hillsborough County), George E. Edgecomb Courthouse. Pinellas County families file in Sixth Judicial Circuit. Pasco County files in Sixth Judicial Circuit (Pasco). Real estate transfers and lady-bird deeds record at the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court Recording Department. Federal estate-tax matters route to the IRS estate tax unit in Cincinnati.
Florida estate law has signature features that shape what good Tampa estate planning looks like.
Florida homestead is unique. Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution gives the homestead exemption from forced sale, creditor protection (with limited exceptions), and special inheritance rules when a surviving spouse or minor child exists. The homestead cannot be devised in certain situations. A Tampa estate planning lawyer must respect homestead rules — get this wrong and the plan fails.
No state estate or income tax. Florida has no state estate tax and no state income tax. The planning focus is federal estate tax (which applies only above the federal exemption, currently around $13 million per person), probate avoidance, incapacity, and Medicaid eligibility — not state tax.
Lady-bird deeds are common. The 'enhanced life estate' deed (lady-bird deed) lets the owner retain full control and the right to sell during life, while transferring the property at death without probate. Florida is one of a small number of states that recognize them. Tampa estate planning lawyers use them constantly for the homestead.
Florida probate is supervised and public. Hillsborough County probate is a court-supervised proceeding (Formal Administration or Summary Administration). Most Tampa families avoid it with a funded revocable trust or lady-bird deed.
The first hundred Google results for "estate planning lawyer Tampa" include thousands of firms. Most are competent. A handful are problems. The patterns to walk away from:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, or outcome, leave.
The vanishing partner. You meet a senior name at intake, then never speak to them again. Ask in writing who handles your case day to day.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a volume mill.
No verifiable track record. The firm should point to published verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar recognition. Specific cases, numbers, and third-party rankings are evidence. "We have helped thousands of clients" is marketing.
Vague fee terms. Every legitimate Tampa lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them. If the firm cannot put that in writing, walk away.
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The free consultation is short — usually 30 to 45 minutes. The lawyer cannot give you a serious case assessment without the documents. Bring the file. Most consultations turn into useful guidance only after the attorney has seen the paper trail.
Asset list. Home address and mortgage balance, brokerage and retirement account statements, bank balances, life insurance policies, business interests, and any out-of-state property. Round numbers are fine.
Family map. Spouse (current and former), children (yours, theirs, blended), grandchildren, parents, siblings. Note inclusions, exclusions, and anyone with special needs.
Existing documents. Old wills, trusts, powers of attorney, beneficiary forms, divorce decrees. The new plan must coordinate with — or replace — each one.
Goals. Who inherits, in what shares, with what conditions. Who decides if you cannot. Who raises minor children. What happens to the business. Write the answers before the meeting.
Most Tampa estate planning firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions, write down the answers, and compare across two firms before you sign.
Most Tampa families benefit from a revocable living trust because Hillsborough County probate is supervised, takes 6 to 14 months, and is a public record. A will alone is enough for very small estates, but a trust avoids probate, controls timing of distributions, and handles incapacity. A Tampa estate planning attorney can tell you which is right after a 30-minute consult.
Simple will and powers of attorney: $450 to $1,000 single, $1,000 to $2,200 married. Revocable trust package with lady-bird deed: $2,500 to $5,500 typical, $6,500 to $12,000 for blended families, businesses, or special-needs planning. Larger firms bill hourly at $475 to $900.
Most Hillsborough County Formal Administration cases run 6 to 14 months. Summary Administration (estates under $75,000 or where decedent has been dead more than 2 years) can finish in 60 to 120 days.
Florida has no state estate tax. Federal estate tax applies only above the federal exemption (currently around $13 million per person). Almost no Tampa families owe federal estate tax.
Yes. Florida recognizes the 'enhanced life estate' or 'lady-bird' deed. A correctly drafted lady-bird deed transfers the homestead at death without probate while preserving Florida homestead protections and the right to sell during life.
FL Stat. 765.202 designation of healthcare surrogate. The document names a person to make medical decisions if you cannot. Pair it with a living will (treatment-preference directive) and HIPAA release.
Usually yes — Florida homestead rules, lady-bird deeds, and healthcare surrogate forms are state-specific. A Tampa estate planning attorney can update an existing plan for less than starting from scratch.
Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution. Up to 1/2 acre in a municipality (Tampa) or 160 acres outside one, owned by a Florida resident as primary residence. Homestead is protected from most creditors and has special inheritance rules when a surviving spouse or minor child exists.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many cases like mine have you handled in the last three years? The answer tells you what you need to know. — The LawFirmSquare team