Estate Planning Attorney in Coral Gables: Wills, Trusts, and Probate Avoidance
Attorney Yanitza Schoonover drafts complete estate plans for Coral Gables families. Flat fee pricing for estate planning. Lady Bird Deeds. Revocable living trusts. Every document personally handled. Bilingual English and Spanish. Florida Bar #124081.
Estate Planning Attorney Serving Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is one of the most distinctive communities in South Florida. With tree-lined streets, Mediterranean-style homes that have appreciated significantly over decades, and a mix of established families, retirees, and professionals, the estate planning needs here are specific and the stakes are real.
Many of the estate planning firms already serving Coral Gables focus on high-net-worth clients with complex tax situations. That leaves a significant gap for everyday Coral Gables families who own a home, have children or grandchildren they want to protect, and simply want a clear plan that avoids probate and protects their family without paying high hourly rates.
Perlin Estate Planning (est. 1985) and Trust Counsel both focus on high-net-worth, tax-complex, hourly-billed clients. Neither offers a Lady Bird Deed service. Neither states flat fee pricing. The Schoonover Law Firm fills that gap directly.
Typical Home Value
Coral Gables homes routinely exceed $1 million. Florida probate costs 3% in statutory fees, that is $30,000 before your family inherits a dollar.
Core Documents
Will, Revocable Living Trust, Lady Bird Deed, POA, Healthcare Surrogate, Living Will.
Hourly Billing Surprises
Flat fee pricing for all estate planning services, confirmed in writing before work begins.
Languages
Full estate planning service in English and Spanish, Hablamos Español.
What Estate Planning Services Does The Schoonover Law Firm Provide in Coral Gables?
A complete Coral Gables estate plan typically includes six legal documents. Every document is drafted to comply with Florida execution requirements and Miami-Dade County recording procedures.
| Service | What it does for Miami families |
|---|---|
| Last will and testament | Directs who receives your assets after death and names a guardian for minor children. Required for any Florida court to appoint a guardian when both parents are gone. |
| Revocable living trust | Transfers your assets to named beneficiaries at death without Florida probate court. The named successor trustee steps in immediately to handle trust administration without court oversight. |
| Durable power of attorney | Names a trusted agent to manage your finances if you become incapacitated. Prevents your family from needing a costly guardianship proceeding through Miami-Dade Circuit Court. |
| Healthcare surrogate designation | Names who makes medical decisions for you if you cannot speak for yourself. Without one, Florida law assigns that role from a ranked list of relatives. |
| Living will | States your wishes on life-prolonging procedures in writing. Removes that decision from your family at the most difficult moment. |
| Lady Bird Deed | Transfers your Coral Gables home to your children at death without probate. Preserves Florida homestead protection and Medicaid eligibility while you retain full lifetime control. |
Lady Bird Deeds for Coral Gables Homeowners
Coral Gables real estate is among the most valuable in Miami-Dade County. A home bought for $300,000 decades ago may be worth $1.5 million today. Without a plan, that property must pass through Florida probate before any family member can sell it, mortgage it, or transfer it. Probate in Miami-Dade Circuit Court takes 9 to 24 months on average.
A Lady Bird Deed, also called an enhanced life estate deed, is the most direct solution for Coral Gables homeowners. It transfers your home to your named beneficiaries at death without any court proceeding. You retain full ownership and control during your lifetime. You can sell, refinance, or revoke the deed at any time without asking your beneficiaries for permission.
The deed does not trigger Medicaid disqualification, preserves Florida homestead protection, and keeps the Save Our Homes assessment cap intact. Attorney Schoonover drafts every Lady Bird Deed to comply with Florida homestead restrictions and records it with the Miami-Dade County Clerk before the engagement is closed.
Incapacity Planning: The Part of Estate Planning Most Families Miss
Estate planning is not only about what happens after you die. It is equally about who manages your life and your assets if you become incapacitated before you die. Most Coral Gables families focus on the will and miss the three documents that protect them during a health crisis.
Durable Power of Attorney
Authorizes your named agent to manage your bank accounts, real estate, investments, and financial affairs the moment you are incapacitated, without any court involvement.
Healthcare Surrogate Designation
Names the person who speaks for you medically when you cannot. Without this document, Florida law or a Miami-Dade court decides who that person is.
Revocable Living Trust with Successor Trustee
The successor trustee you named in your trust steps in immediately upon your incapacity to handle trust administration, pay bills, manage investments, and protect your assets, without the 60 to 120-day delay and $3,000 to $5,000 cost of a Miami-Dade guardianship proceeding.
The successor trustee role is one of the most underexplained concepts in estate planning. When you fund a revocable living trust and name a successor trustee, you are pre-authorizing a trusted person to take care of everything the moment you need them to, privately and immediately, without ever involving a court.
A family member who needs to manage your affairs must file for guardianship through Miami-Dade Circuit Court. That process takes 60 to 120 days and costs $3,000 to $5,000 to initiate before any protective authority is granted.
Medicaid Planning and Elder Law Planning for Coral Gables Seniors
Coral Gables has a significant senior population, many of whom have owned their homes for decades and built meaningful savings. Long-term nursing home care in Florida costs approximately $10,646 per month for a private room, according to the 2024 Genworth/CareScout survey. A two-year stay at that rate consumes over $250,000.
Medicaid planning is the legal process of structuring your assets so that you or a family member qualifies for Medicaid long-term care coverage without first depleting everything you have saved. The Lady Bird Deed is a central tool in elder law planning for Coral Gables homeowners because it transfers the family home at death outside of probate without triggering a Medicaid transfer disqualification during the owner’s lifetime.
Attorney Schoonover builds Medicaid planning and elder law considerations into every estate plan she drafts for Coral Gables seniors, addressing Florida homestead protection, asset structuring, and long-term care costs before a health crisis forces a rushed decision.
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2021 through 2026
- 2024 Elite Lawyer Award
- Florida Bar #124081, admitted September 2016
Why Choose The Schoonover Law Firm for Estate Planning in Coral Gables?
Yanitza Schoonover is a Florida Bar licensed estate planning attorney based in Miami with 13 years of Florida estate law experience. She holds Florida Bar number 124081 with active good standing status and drafts every estate planning document for Coral Gables families personally, from the initial consultation through trust funding and deed recording.
Coral Gables estate planning requires more than a standard will. Mediterranean-style homes that have appreciated to over $1 million, Florida homestead restrictions on how that property can be devised, and the specific probate avoidance tools that protect Coral Gables families demand an attorney who understands local property values, Miami-Dade County recording requirements, and the difference between a firm that charges hourly rates for complexity and one that charges flat fees for clarity.
Every estate planning document, every client question, and every signing appointment handled personally by Attorney Schoonover.
Years in Estate Law
Years Licensed
Consecutive Rising Stars
Weekly Availability
Why Coral Gables Families Choose The Schoonover Law Firm
The estate planning firms already established in Coral Gables serve a specific client. Here is how The Schoonover Law Firm fills the gap they leave.
Direct Attorney Representation
Attorney Schoonover handles every document, every consultation, and every signing appointment personally.
Flat Fee Pricing for Estate Planning
All estate planning fees confirmed in writing before work begins. Written quote for all other legal services before any work starts.
Bilingual in English and Spanish
Full estate planning service in both languages. Hablamos Español.
Extended Availability
In-person Mon–Fri before 5 PM. Evening and weekend consultations by phone or Zoom only, Mon–Sun 8 AM to 9 PM.
Lady Bird Deed Focus
Every competing Coral Gables estate planning firm overlooks Lady Bird Deeds entirely. This is a core service here.
Medicaid Planning for Seniors
Every senior estate plan accounts for long-term care costs, Medicaid eligibility, and Florida homestead protection from the start.
Estate Planning Attorney Serving Coral Gables and Surrounding Communities
Primary Service Areas
Coral Gables · South Miami · Coconut Grove Brickell · Pinecrest · Westchester South Miami Heights · Kendall
In-Person Appointments
Monday through Friday Before 5:00 PM By appointment only
Phone & Zoom
Monday through Sunday 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Evenings & weekends available
Office: 6303 Waterford District Dr, Suite 400, Miami, FL 33126 · Minutes from Coral Gables · All in-person visits by appointment only
Estate Planning Questions from Coral Gables Families
Common questions Attorney Schoonover receives from Coral Gables families during initial consultations.
How do I avoid probate on my Coral Gables home?
There are two tools that work together. A revocable living trust holds your titled assets during your lifetime and transfers them to your beneficiaries at death without any Florida court proceeding. A Lady Bird Deed does the same thing specifically for your Coral Gables home while you retain full ownership and control during your lifetime. Together, a funded revocable living trust and a Lady Bird Deed on your property eliminate formal probate administration for most Coral Gables families. Given that Coral Gables home values routinely exceed $1 million, the cost of not planning for this is significant.
What is a successor trustee and why does my Coral Gables estate plan need one?
A successor trustee is the person you name in your revocable living trust who takes over trust administration when you become incapacitated or pass away. Unlike a personal representative in Florida probate, a successor trustee acts immediately and privately without any court appointment. For Coral Gables families with a funded revocable living trust, the successor trustee can pay bills, manage investments, sell property, and distribute assets to your beneficiaries without a single court filing. It is one of the most practical and underused features of a well-drafted trust.
How much does estate planning cost in Coral Gables?
The Schoonover Law Firm charges flat fees for all estate planning services, confirmed in writing before work begins. A basic will package including a will, durable power of attorney, healthcare surrogate designation, and living will typically ranges from $800 to $1,500. A complete trust-based estate plan including a revocable living trust, pour-over will, all four supporting documents, and a Lady Bird Deed for your home typically ranges from $3,500 to $8,000. A written quote is provided before any work begins, for estate planning and all other legal services.
Does The Schoonover Law Firm serve Coral Gables families in Spanish?
Yes. Attorney Schoonover provides full estate planning service in both English and Spanish. Every consultation, every document review, and every signing appointment can be conducted in Spanish for Coral Gables families who prefer it. Hablamos Español. Call (305) 299-7496 or email info@estateplanningattorney.us to schedule a free consultation.
Start Your Coral Gables Estate Plan Today
A complete Coral Gables estate plan takes 1 to 4 weeks from consultation to signing. Attorney Schoonover reviews your assets, family structure, and goals in the first call and confirms exactly which documents you need and what they will cost before any work begins.
Attorney Schoonover drafts complete Florida estate plans for Coral Gables families including last wills, revocable living trusts, Lady Bird Deeds, durable powers of attorney, healthcare surrogate designations, and living wills.
Start With a Free Consultation
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Email info@estateplanningattorney.us
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Schedule a Free Consultation at estateplanningattorney.us
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In-person meetings by appointment only.
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English and Spanish, Hablamos Español
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Flat fee for estate planning, fee quote provided before any work begins
