Wills & Trusts

Wedding rings and house keys with a wooden house keychain resting on home floor plans, representing marital property in Florida.

Is Florida a Community Property State? What Married Couples Should Know

No, Florida is not a community property state. That answer surprises some couples, especially those who moved here from California, Texas, Arizona, or another state where everything earned during the…

Dark SUV parked in front of a home garage, representing whether to put a vehicle in a trust in Florida.

Estate Planning Wills & Trusts

Should My Car Be in My Trust? How Vehicles Pass in Florida

For most Florida families, the everyday car does not need to be in a revocable trust. Florida law already gives surviving spouses and heirs simple ways to transfer a vehicle…

Welcome to Florida highway sign representing moving to Florida and updating your estate plan.

Estate Planning Wills & Trusts

Moving to Florida? What to Update in Your Estate Plan

Moving to Florida rarely makes your estate plan invalid, but it usually makes it out of date. Most wills and trusts signed in another state still work here. Your power…

Stacked binders and paperwork with a pen, representing successor trustee duties in Florida

Estate Planning Wills & Trusts

Successor Trustee Duties in Florida: A Step-by-Step Checklist

A successor trustee in Florida steps in to manage a trust after the person who created it dies or can no longer manage it. Your job is to protect the…

Checklist with checkmarks and a pen, representing a Florida estate plan checkup

Estate Planning Wills & Trusts

Is It Time for a Florida Estate Plan Checkup?

If you haven’t reviewed your Florida estate plan in the last few years—or confirmed that your named decision-makers, property titling, and beneficiary forms still match your actual life—it’s worth a…

Commercial storefront building representing Florida small business owners and LLC asset protection.

Estate Planning Wills & Trusts

Does an LLC Actually Protect Your Assets in Florida?

Yes, but only in specific ways, and only if it’s set up and run correctly. A Florida LLC protects you in two directions: it keeps the business’s debts and lawsuits…

Florida health care surrogate designation explained by attorney Samantha Fitzgerald

Estate Planning Wills & Trusts

What Is a Health Care Surrogate in Florida? (And Why Your Will Can’t Do This Job)

What Is a Health Care Surrogate in Florida? A Florida health care surrogate designation is a written document naming the person who makes medical decisions for you when you can’t…

Historic New York City brownstone townhouse, representing high-value NYC properties affected by the new pied-à-terre tax

Estate Planning Wills & Trusts

Own Property in New York City? A New Tax Could Affect Your Estate Plan

If you or someone in your family owns a home, condo, or co-op in New York City that isn’t your primary residence, a new tax may soon apply, and it…

Hands holding a house icon, percentage sign, and rising arrow representing step-up in basis and property value growth

Estate Planning Wills & Trusts

How the Step-Up in Basis Can Protect Your Family’s Inheritance from Taxes

You’ve spent a lifetime building something worth passing on: your home, your investments, the wealth you’ve carefully accumulated over the years. But one of the most common estate planning mistakes…

Person completing a beneficiary change form for a life insurance policy as part of Florida estate planning

Estate Planning Probate Wills & Trusts

Are Named Beneficiaries Enough to Avoid Probate? (Not Always — Here’s Why)

You did the responsible thing. You sat down, filled out the forms, and named your children as beneficiaries on your bank accounts, life insurance policy, and retirement accounts. You figured…

About The Firm

Since 2011, SJF Law Group has been helping clients protect their families with estate planning, probate & trust administration. We pride ourselves on combining the personalized service and attention of a boutique firm, with the talent and legal acumen of a large firm.

Our Awards

GOLD – Estate Law

GOLD – Law Firm

SILVER – Woman-Owned Business

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Wills & Trusts

Is Florida a Community Property State? What Married Couples Should Know

Should My Car Be in My Trust? How Vehicles Pass in Florida

Moving to Florida? What to Update in Your Estate Plan

Successor Trustee Duties in Florida: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Is It Time for a Florida Estate Plan Checkup?

Does an LLC Actually Protect Your Assets in Florida?

What Is a Health Care Surrogate in Florida? (And Why Your Will Can’t Do This Job)

Own Property in New York City? A New Tax Could Affect Your Estate Plan

How the Step-Up in Basis Can Protect Your Family’s Inheritance from Taxes

Are Named Beneficiaries Enough to Avoid Probate? (Not Always — Here’s Why)

Voted GOLD for Estate Law by South Florida Families – Sun Sentinel 2026

About The Firm

Our Awards

About the Firm

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