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"Renee made planning super easy and really put my mind at ease about what happens to my kids when I’m no longer here to take care of them." – Erica S.

"I’m so glad I took care of this with Renee’s office. It has been on my mind for a while and now I know my family has somewhere to turn who can tell them what to do if something happens to me." – Brady P.

"Getting this taken care of seemed overwhelming but the office made things smooth and easy and I feel very good about having it done." – M.G.

Decker Legacy Law, LLC — Estate Planning Lawyers in Florida to Help With All Your Legal Needs.

Planning for the future is something everyone should do. In fact, most people actually do create strategic plans for the future in one way or another. Some plan for potential hurricanes by stockpiling supplies, and others plan for retirement with 401(k) plans. However, it’s often even more important to prepare for contingencies involving your estate. Failing to do so could have serious consequences for you and your loved ones. Fortunately, an estate planning lawyer in Florida can assist in this endeavor.

At Decker Legacy Law, LLC, our team of legal professionals is more than just a law firm that assists with estate plan creation. We’re a dedicated group of professionals who strive to ensure the best interests of our clients are always served. This will often mean different things to different people since everyone’s circumstances are unique. The one thing that remains consistent, though, is our commitment to our clients. Contact us today to schedule a confidential consultation and learn how we can help.

Our Services

When you search for local lawyers online, you’re never really sure what you’ll get. That’s because legal practices can offer varying services, and oftentimes, they don’t all provide the same assistance. However, Decker Legacy Law, LLC can meet just about any of your Florida estate planning needs. Below is a list of our primary practice areas:

Asset Protection

No matter how hard you work for what you’ve earned, your assets are always at risk. Asset protection strategies can minimize such risk.

Estate Planning

Asset protection, will writing, trust creation, and establishing powers of attorney are just the tip of the iceberg at Decker Legacy Law, LLC.

Elder Law

An experienced elder law attorney in Florida understands how this legal area affects estate planning and much more.

Trusts

Establishing a trust can help safeguard your assets and stipulate who can receive properties — and when they can receive them.

Wills

Dying without a will is often disastrous. Your assets — and even your children — may end up somewhere you never wanted.

Probate

Even when someone dies with a will in place, probate can be a complex process. Let our Florida estate administration professionals assist.

Power of Attorney

There are certain instances where a person may be unable to make their own decisions. Fortunately, you can choose who makes those decisions for you.

Long-Term Care Planning

Americans are living longer than ever, so it’s essential to take concrete steps to plan for your long-term care needs.

Special Needs Trusts

Providing assistance to a disabled loved one is admirable, but it can also interfere with their government benefits. Our Florida estate planning lawyers can help avoid this.

Business Succession Planning

Do you know what will happen to your business if you retire, become incapacitated, or die? It’s imperative that you plan for all contingencies.

Medicaid Planning

Many people reach Medicaid age only to discover that their assets or income make them ineligible. Don’t let this happen to you.

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How Important Is Florida Estate Planning?

When people hear the term estate planning, the first thing they think about is creating a will. This is a solid assumption — as wills are an important part of any estate plan. However, there’s actually much more involved. And depending on your unique circumstances, several Florida estate planning tools should be on your radar. If you fail to properly prepare for potential contingencies, you could lose everything you’ve ever worked for over the years.

This may sound alarmist, but it’s far from an exaggeration. For instance, imagine a scenario where you’ve saved hundreds of thousands of dollars for retirement. Once you reach the age of 65, you’re ready to sign up for Medicaid and enjoy a relaxed life free of financial concerns. Unfortunately, your savings could actually make you ineligible for Medicaid benefits — and this means medical bills could wipe out your savings in just a short time.

There are other potentially disastrous events that could also occur. Many people have found themselves incapacitated and unable to make medical decisions. Others have watched their businesses fail after retiring. There are even those who will never see the difficult circumstances left behind for their families — all because issues with their will created problems in probate. With the help of a Florida estate planning attorney, though, you can avoid such complications.

Client Success Stories

“Renee made planning super easy and really put my mind at ease about what happens to my kids when I’m no longer here to take care of them.”

– Erica S.

“I’m so glad I took care of this with Renee’s office. It has been on my mind for a while and now I know my family has somewhere to turn who can tell them what to do if something happens to me.”

– Brady P.

"Getting this taken care of seemed overwhelming but the office made things smooth and easy and I feel very good about having it done."

– M.G.

What Does Proper Estate Planning Involve?

Having a will is a definite necessity for proper estate planning. However, they can only accomplish so much. For instance, you wouldn’t list a power of attorney in this legal document — nor would you create plans for long-term care needs. A will can only go so far with what it can accomplish.

The second most common estate planning tool is a trust. This is another legal document that allows you to give a person or organization assets. However, it’s possible to avoid a variety of taxes you’d owe when just using a will. You may also be able to assist a disabled loved one without interfering with their eligibility for government assistance programs.

This probably all sounds a bit complex, and the craziest thing is that this only accounts for two types of estate planning. Getting this done right also necessitates choosing someone to make decisions for you, planning for Medicaid and long-term care, protecting your assets, and a variety of other tasks that you don’t want to overlook. An estate planning lawyer in Florida can help.

Meet Your Attorney

Renee Decker

Hello there. I’m happy that you stopped by to learn a little about me. I’m Renee Decker, and I became an Estate Planning Lawyer to help families avoid conflict and confusion during one of the most trying times of life – after the death or incapacity of a loved one.

Whether you have a traditional, non-traditional, blended or furry family, I’m here to help every person in the greater Tampa, New Tampa, Lutz, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills area navigate the maze of legal and financial decisions related to life, death and incapacity. Because I believe planning for death and incapacity is as much about peace of mind during life as anything else.

Can You Handle Estate Planning On Your Own?

Many people get the idea that they don’t need an estate planning lawyer in Florida to handle their planning needs. This belief has increased significantly since the advent of do-it-yourself online legal tools. Unfortunately, such tools cannot account for your unique situation. They’re nothing more than boilerplate forms that likely will not properly safeguard your assets or ensure your wishes are carried out in a number of situations.

Of course, there are some estate planning steps you can handle on your own. For instance, it doesn’t take much technical knowledge to add a beneficiary to your financial accounts. In fact, it’s fairly simple. However, this is typically only one step in the planning process. If it’s all you do, there’s a good chance that the courts or other individuals will make decisions that should’ve been left to you.

Speak with our Florida estate planning professionals today to learn what you can do on your own — and what strategies an attorney can prove invaluable for.

Why Choose Us?

If you head over to Google and search Florida estate planning attorneys, you’ll get no shortage of results. So, how do you choose the law firm that’s best for your needs? At Decker Legacy Law, LLC, we believe we’re the right choice for most people. Here’s why:

The Experience You Need

Creating an effective estate plan involves more than just a little legal knowledge and research. You need someone with extensive experience in this area who stays abreast of all changes to relevant law. At Decker Legacy Law, LLC, you’ll work directly with a legal team whose primary practice area has long revolved around the estate planning needs of Florida residents.

Local Experience

Experience is great, but local experience is invaluable. At Decker Legacy Law, LLC, we have offices in Tampa and Zephyrhills, FL — and we serve Hillsborough, Polk, Pinellas, Pasco, Central Florida, and beyond. We’ve built relationships with local officials, and we know how the system works in our communities. Such localized experience can go a long way.

Free Planning Kits

Far too many attorneys focus only on what they can get out of their clients. We don’t think this is right. Estate planning lawyers in Florida should focus on what they can do for those they represent. This is why our firm offers free planning kits for certain estate necessities. Of course, we can also help in the areas that these kits cover if you prefer assistance.

Work With You and Your Loved Ones

Every consultation we offer is confidential in nature, but if you want your loved ones involved, they can sit down with us as well. Our goal is to ensure that the estate planning process revolves around your best interests. This process should play out exactly like you want, and if that means your family is involved every step of the way, we’re more than happy to acquiesce.

We Go Beyond Document Drafting

Many law firms simply provide document preparation. In most cases the documents themselves are professionally prepared, however, in many cases a documents only approach doesn't work for your loved ones when they need it. And, this doesn't provide peace of mind. We want our clients to understand the entire process so they can rest comfortably knowing that their estate plan will work when push comes to shove.

More Than Just Asset Planning

At Decker Legacy Law, LLC, we fully believe that estate planning is more than just deciding where assets go and who can make important decisions. This planning is how you convey your thoughts and wishes to the people you love. Florida estate planning lawyers have a responsibility to do more than simple asset planning, and that’s a responsibility we take very seriously.

What Happens Without Proper Estate Planning?

Without proper estate planning, there are various unfortunate outcomes that can occur. As with most things in this area of the law, it will all depend on your unique situation. For instance, dying without a valid will means that the courts will decide what happens to your assets based on state law. In such a scenario, someone who has been estranged from you for years may inherit your monies and properties while a close loved one gets nothing.

For those without an advanced directive or power of attorney, significant medical and financial decisions could be made by someone they don’t trust. And in particularly disheartening circumstances, children and beloved family pets could be placed with someone you wouldn’t have chosen on your own. In most cases, failing to plan will also leave significant headaches and burdens for your loved ones. Put simply, everyone should have a plan.

Let our Florida estate planning lawyers assist with making yours.

Contact Our Estate Planning Lawyers in Florida Today.

Clearly, estate planning in Florida involves more than most people might expect. It’s not enough to merely ensure your assets don’t get hung up in probate court. It’s important to have a thorough strategy in place for all possible contingencies to ensure you maintain control both during and after your life.

At Decker Legacy Law Firm, LLC, we’re ready to assist with all your Florida estate planning needs. Whether you merely need help updating a will or are ready to create an in-depth estate plan or business succession strategy, our law firm has the skills and experience necessary to assist.

We’re also conveniently located just 10 minutes from New Tampa Nature Park and less than 4 miles from City Plaza at Tampa Palms. Our office is also just a 30-minute drive from Tampa International Airport along Interstate 75.

We’re here to help. Contact us today by calling (813) 437-4465 to schedule a confidential consultation. Our estate planning lawyers in Florida are ready to assist.

Frequently asked questions

Many important questions involving asset protection and estate planning should be answered during a confidential consultation. After all, a web page cannot provide personalized advice for every potential possibility that everyone might encounter. However, the following questions are among the most popular we hear in our law firm:

What if you die without a will?

Dying without a will means that you will have no say in what happens to your assets when you pass on. Florida’s intestate laws will dictate where your money and property goes. By default, assets will pass on to your closest relatives — even if these people aren’t emotionally close to you. Don’t let statutes passed by lawmakers who have no insight to your situation dictate what happens when you’re gone.

What if I don’t qualify for Medicaid?

If you earn too much or your assets are too valuable to qualify for Medicaid, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t qualify. Medicaid planning allows you to move assets so that you can receive government healthcare, and even if you’ve been denied, you can start taking steps now to help you qualify when you reapply.

What asset protection tools are available?

There are a number of great asset protection tools. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and Medicaid planning are just a few of these tools. However, not all of these strategies will benefit you. Speaking with an estate planning lawyer in Florida is an ideal way to figure out which tools are applicable and beneficial in your situation.

Can you avoid probate in Florida?

Summary administration and Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration are two processes that can simplify or avoid the Florida probate process altogether. However, it's also possible to avoid probate by specifying beneficiaries, utilizing joint ownership, creating living trusts, and through a few other methods. You should speak with an attorney to figure out if you might qualify for any of these.

Do I need a business succession plan if I have co-owners?

Absolutely. Having a partner in your business only means that the company will still have an owner in your absence. However, this doesn’t mean there won’t be a power vacuum. It also doesn’t mean that the business won’t struggle to find and train replacements while rearranging the organizational structure. Business succession planning is vital for any entrepreneur.

Do sole proprietors need a business succession plan?

Under the law, a sole proprietorship ceases to exist once the proprietor dies. However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn't take estate planning for your business seriously. It’s an asset like any other, and the assets within it need to go somewhere. Speak with an estate planning lawyer in Florida to get a better idea of how to deal with sole proprietorships.

When should I begin estate planning?

Many people don’t have an estate plan when they need one the most — simply because they didn’t believe they needed one. After all, it can be difficult to convince a 25 year old that they need a will and asset protection. Unfortunately, the simple fact is that the unexpected can happen at any time. Proper estate planning ensures that you’re prepared for the worst — even if you’re lucky enough to avoid the worst until much later in life.

Can I be the beneficiary of my own trust in Florida?

Every trust has a grantor, a trustee, and beneficiaries. However, it is possible for the same person to hold multiple roles in a trust. This can get complex, and it’s essential that you understand the process so you don’t run afoul of estate or financial law. Reach out to an estate planning law firm today, and an experienced attorney can help you better navigate this process.

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