014: How to Avoid Probate in Florida: Three Strategies That Actually Work

Probate costs Florida families real money. Attorney's fees alone run 3% of the estate, and the personal representative takes another 3%, meaning a $1 million estate loses $60,000 before a single beneficiary sees a cent. In this episode, Tom Moss lays out three strategies that keep assets out of probate entirely: revocable living trusts, Lady Bird deeds, and beneficiary designations. Tom explains why each tool fits certain situations and fails in others. A Lady Bird deed works well for a straightforward transfer to one healthy adult child. Add creditor issues, a disabled beneficiary, or siblings who don't get along, and a trust becomes the smarter call. If you have ever assumed your estate plan covers all the bases, this episode will tell you whether it actually does. In this episode, you will hear: Why probate costs Florida families up to 6% of the total estate value before any beneficiary collects anything Revocable living trusts, how they work, and why a poorly funded trust is just an expensive stack of paper Lady Bird deeds as a simple, low-cost option for straightforward property transfers, and when they fall short Beneficiary designations for bank accounts, investment accounts, IRAs, and insurance policies, and the hidden risks of getting them wrong Joint ownership with children and why it creates more problems than it solves How family dynamics, disabled beneficiaries, creditor issues, and out-of-country heirs all change the right strategy What an attorney intake process actually covers and why it determines which probate avoidance tools make the most sense Resources from this Episode https://sawyerandsawyerpa.com/probate/ Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.