Florida Estate Planning Designed to Protect Your Family and Your Assets
Estate planning is the strategic process of protecting your assets and ensuring your medical and financial wishes are honored. A comprehensive plan provides peace of mind for you and clarity for your loved ones. Without these legal protections in place, the State of Florida and the probate courts will make decisions regarding your property and your care, often leading to public proceedings and family conflict.
Our Comprehensive Estate Planning Services
Mazenko Law Firm provides a disciplined approach to protecting your assets and your family. Attorney Todd Mazenko ensures that every document in your estate plan is mission ready and fulfills its specific purpose under Florida law.
Foundational Estate Planning
These are the core documents that every Florida resident should have to avoid state intervention in their private affairs.
Revocable Living Trusts
A Revocable Living Trust is the most effective tool for avoiding the public and costly probate process. It allows you to maintain full control of your property during your lifetime while providing for a private transfer of assets to your heirs. This is the gold standard for maintaining family privacy and avoiding court interference.
Last Will and Testament
A Will is a vital safety net that outlines your final wishes. It allows you to name a personal representative to manage your estate and designate guardians for minor children. Without a Will, Florida statutes determine who inherits your property through the probate court. A Florida Judge also determines who will be the guardian for your minor children unless you name a guardian in your Will.
Advance Directives & Incapacity Planning
Estate planning is not just about what happens after you pass away. It is about protecting your autonomy while you are still alive.
Durable Power of Attorney
This is a critical document for your protection. It allows you to appoint a trusted individual to manage your financial and legal affairs if you become unable to do so. Under Florida law, these powers are effective immediately upon signing.
Healthcare Surrogate and Living Wills
Planning for medical contingencies ensures your healthcare preferences are honored. We draft Healthcare Surrogate Designations to appoint a medical advocate and Living Wills to provide clear instructions regarding life prolonging procedures.
Pre-Need Guardian Election
To prevent the court from appointing a stranger to manage your life, we help you file a Pre-Need Guardian Election. This document ensures the court knows exactly whom you want to serve as your guardian if you ever become incapacitated.
Specialized Family Protection
For clients with unique family dynamics or high value assets, we provide advanced legal strategies.
We help ensure your hard-earned savings goes to your family after you pass. By using Revocable Living Trusts and other estate planning tools, we ensure your home passes to your beneficiaries automatically after you die while you maintain your homestead tax exemptions while you are still alive.
Special Needs Planning
If you have a loved one with a disability, a standard inheritance can jeopardize their government benefits. We establish Supplemental Needs Trusts in tandem with your Revocable Living Trust to provide for their quality of life while preserving their eligibility for SSI and Medicaid after you die.
How We Help You Secure Your Future
The process of building an estate plan should be efficient and stress free. We guide you through every step of the journey.
- Initial Consultation: We discuss your family goals and review your current assets.
- Strategic Design: We recommend the specific combination of Wills, Trusts, and Advance Directives that fits your needs.
- Document Execution: We ensure all documents are signed and witnessed according to strict Florida legal formalities.
- Fixed Pricing: We charge an up-front fixed price for all documents we prepare for you that way there are no undisclosed fees.
- Ongoing Support: We remain available to update your plan as your life or Florida laws change.
Secure Your Family’s Future Today
Don’t wait for a crisis to realize you are unprepared. A professionally drafted estate plan is the greatest gift you can leave your loved ones. Attorney Todd Mazenko provides the disciplined, veteran-led guidance you need to protect your assets and your autonomy under Florida law.
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Why Choose Mazenko Law Firm?
Attorney Todd Mazenko is a decorated U.S. Navy Veteran who brings military-grade precision to every estate plan. We focus on four core pillars of protection for our clients in Central Florida.
- Avoid Probate: We use Revocable Living Trusts to keep your private affairs out of the courtroom.
- Protect Assets: We held shield your Florida Homestead and savings from creditors and nursing home costs after you die.
- Ensure Autonomy: Our Advance Directives ensure your medical and financial wishes are followed if you are incapacitated.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Will must go through the public probate court process. A Revocable Living Trust allows your assets to pass to your heirs privately and immediately without court intervention. Most families in Central Florida choose a trust to save their loved ones time and money.
These are “living” documents that protect you during a medical crisis. They include the Durable Power of Attorney, Healthcare Surrogate, and Living Will. They ensure the people you trust have the legal authority to manage your affairs if you are incapacitated.
We establish Supplemental Needs Trusts inside your Revocable Trust to provide for a disabled loved one after you die. This allows them to receive an inheritance without losing their eligibility for government benefits like SSI or Medicaid.
Through specialized estate planning, we can help you protect your Florida Homestead real property from being “spent down” for long-term care. This ensures your legacy stays in the family rather than being depleted by medical bills.
You should review your plan every three to five years. It is also vital to update your documents after major life events like a marriage, divorce, a death in the family, or a significant change in your financial situation.
1502 North Donnelly Street
Suite 106
Mount Dora, Florida 32757
Phone: (352) 565-7737
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