Practical, factual guides to Florida estate planning, probate, and trust law, written by Florida estate planning attorneys at Bucelo Diaz Law.
Bucelo Diaz Law publishes an ongoing library of explainer articles, cornerstone guides, and practical references for Florida families navigating estate planning and probate. Every guide is written or reviewed by Alexis Bucelo Diaz, Esq., LL.M., who has spent more than fifteen years counseling Florida families on wills, trusts, probate administration, and the tax planning issues that affect both.
The guides below are organized around the questions we hear most often. What does a Florida estate plan actually look like? Is probate avoidable, and at what cost? How does a trust change the answer? Each cornerstone guide builds on the firm's day-to-day work as Florida estate planning attorneys, Florida probate counsel, and Florida real estate counsel for clients in Weston, Ocala, Naples, and across the state. The library is updated as the law changes and as new questions emerge from client work.
Cornerstone Guides for Florida Families
The most comprehensive guides we have published on the questions Florida families ask us most often.
Florida Estate & Inheritance Tax
What Florida families need to know in 2026, including the federal estate tax exemption under the One Big Beautiful Bill.
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Step-Up in Basis at Death
How IRC §1014 works and why revocable and irrevocable trusts treat the step-up differently.
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Florida Lady Bird Deed
Enhanced life estate deeds, homestead transfer, and how the Lady Bird deed protects heirs.
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Florida Probate Cost 2026
County-by-county fee schedule, attorney fee guidance under §733.6171, and what families actually pay.
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Florida Letter of Administration
What it is, who issues it, what it lets a personal representative do, and how to obtain one.
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Florida Intestate Succession Chart
Who inherits when there is no will in Florida, organized by family structure and statute.
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The Complete Guide to Florida Probate (2026)
How Florida probate works in 2026: when it is required, summary vs. formal administration, costs, timelines, exempt assets, and how to start.…
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When Is Probate Required in Florida?
Not every Florida estate needs probate. Learn which assets trigger it, which pass outside it, and how the $150,000 summary administration threshold…
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Florida Lady Bird Deed Form: Required Elements, Signing, and Recording
What a valid Florida lady bird deed form must include: the enhanced powers clause, two witnesses and a notary under F.S. 689.01,…
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Lady Bird Deed Tax Consequences in Florida: What Owners and Heirs Should Know
What taxes apply to a Florida lady bird deed? Documentary stamps, gift tax, property tax, capital gains step-up, and estate tax, explained…
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Florida's New $150,000 Summary Administration Threshold (CS/HB 1337): What Changes July 1, 2026
Effective July 1, 2026, Florida doubles the summary administration threshold from $75,000 to $150,000 under CS/HB 1337. Who qualifies, whether to wait…
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How Long Can an Estate Stay Open in Florida? Deadlines and Limits Explained
Florida law does not set a fixed maximum time for how long an estate can remain open. However, the personal representative has…
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