Estate Planning and Probate Attorney Serving Clients Throughout Florida

Bucelo Diaz Law is a Florida estate planning and probate law firm that helps individuals and families protect what they have built. With offices in Weston, Ocala, and Naples, we serve clients across the state — from the Panhandle to the Keys — with focused legal guidance on estate planning, probate, wills, trusts, and related matters.

Florida has its own rules. The homestead exemption, the elective share, trust administration under Chapter 736, and the probate procedures that run through each county’s circuit court all operate differently here than in any other state. If you live in Florida, own property in Florida, or are managing the estate of someone who did, you need a plan built on Florida law — not boilerplate from somewhere else.

Whether you are putting a plan in place for the first time, updating documents after a move or a major life change, or guiding your family through probate, we are here to help. Call (954) 399-1910 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

Why Florida Estate Planning Is Different

Estate planning in Florida is not the same as estate planning in New York, California, or any other state. Florida statutes create both powerful protections and specific restrictions that directly affect how your assets transfer, how your family is protected, and what happens if you become incapacitated.

Three areas matter most:

Homestead. Florida’s homestead exemption under Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution protects your primary residence from most creditors and provides property tax benefits through the Save Our Homes cap. But homestead also restricts how you can leave your home in a will if you have a surviving spouse or minor children. A plan that ignores these restrictions can inadvertently disinherit someone or create a forced sale.

Probate. Florida probate runs through the county circuit court where the decedent lived or where their property is located. Estates over $75,000 typically require formal administration — a court-supervised process involving a personal representative, creditor notification, and judicial approval of distributions. Without a trust or other transfer structure, your real estate, bank accounts, and other titled assets go through this process. In a state where property values are rising across nearly every county, the cost and delay of probate are significant.

Trust administration. Florida trusts are governed by Chapter 736 of the Florida Statutes, which sets specific rules for trustee duties, beneficiary rights, accountings, and distributions. A trust drafted under another state’s laws may not work the way you expect when administered in Florida. If you moved here from another state — and millions of Florida residents have — your documents should be reviewed.

Estate Planning and Probate Services Across Florida

We focus exclusively on Florida estate planning, probate, and real estate law. That means every plan we build and every case we handle is grounded in the statutes, court rules, and legal landscape that actually apply to our clients.

Estate Planning

A complete estate plan gives you control over what happens to your assets, your healthcare decisions, and your family’s future. We help Florida residents create wills, revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, joint trusts, durable powers of attorney, healthcare surrogates, and living wills — all drafted to comply with Florida law.

For families, this means naming guardians for minor children, protecting a surviving spouse’s rights, and making sure your home passes the way you intend. For individuals, it means ensuring someone you trust can act on your behalf if you cannot act for yourself.

Probate

When a loved one passes away, their estate often requires probate through the county circuit court. We handle formal administration for estates over $75,000, summary administration for smaller or older estates, ancillary probate for cross-state property, and beneficiary representation for heirs who need their rights protected.

The goal of good estate planning is to keep your family out of probate court entirely. But when probate is necessary, having a Florida probate attorney who knows the local court procedures makes the process faster and less stressful.

Out-of-State Clients

If you live in another state but own Florida property or are managing the estate of a Florida resident, you likely need a Florida probate attorney. We regularly work with out-of-state families and their local attorneys to coordinate cross-border estate planning and probate matters.

Where We Serve Clients in Florida

Our offices are in Weston, Ocala, and Naples, and we serve clients across the state by phone, Zoom, and in-person meetings. Estate planning and probate work does not always require face-to-face meetings — many of our clients work with us entirely by phone and video, regardless of where they live in Florida.

South Florida

South Florida is where we started and where two of our three offices are located. Families in Broward and Miami-Dade counties often hold assets across international borders, manage multi-generational property, and need legal documents that work in both English and Spanish. Business owners, medical professionals, and dual-income households face decisions about business succession, guardianship, and asset protection that require a plan built specifically around Florida law.

On the Gulf Coast, Collier and Lee counties draw retirees and seasonal residents who are often establishing Florida domicile for the first time. Their estate plans need to be updated to reflect Florida’s homestead protections, trust rules, and probate procedures — something their out-of-state documents were not designed for.

Along the Treasure Coast, Vero Beach and Indian River County attract residents from the Northeast who retain property and financial ties in their former home states. Multi-state coordination is essential to avoid probate in two jurisdictions.

We serve South Florida clients from our offices in Weston and Naples, and work with Vero Beach and Treasure Coast families by phone, Zoom, and in-person meetings as needed.

Learn more about our South Florida estate planning and probate services →

Central Florida

Central Florida is home to a different kind of estate planning client. Marion County is the Horse Capital of the World, and many residents own equestrian properties, agricultural land, and rural acreage that require careful structuring to avoid forced sales during probate. Families with generational land holdings need plans that keep working operations intact across transitions.

The region also includes The Villages — the largest retirement community in the country — where residents need estate plans that address retirement distributions, healthcare directives, and the eventual transfer of their home. Many moved from the Midwest or Northeast and brought estate plans that do not account for Florida law.

Our Ocala office serves clients throughout Marion County, The Villages, and the I-75 corridor between Gainesville and the Orlando metro.

Learn more about our Central Florida estate planning and probate services →

North Florida

North Florida includes some of the state’s most significant military communities. Jacksonville — the largest city in Florida by land area — is home to Naval Station Mayport and NAS Jacksonville, along with a growing economy in financial services and healthcare. Estate planning needs here range from basic wills and guardianship designations to plans involving SGLI coordination, rental property portfolios, and business succession.

In the Panhandle, Pensacola and surrounding communities sit along the Alabama border. Military families from NAS Pensacola and Eglin Air Force Base, retirees drawn to the Gulf Coast, and longtime residents with cross-border ties to Alabama all face planning questions shaped by multi-state complexity.

We serve Jacksonville and Pensacola clients by phone, Zoom, and in-person meetings, delivering the same Florida-specific guidance our office clients receive in Weston, Ocala, and Naples.

Learn more about our North Florida estate planning and probate services →

Why Clients Across Florida Choose Bucelo Diaz Law