Asset Protection Attorney in Jacksonville

Integrated Estate & Real Estate Planning for Duval County Residents

Florida law gives residents some of the strongest built-in asset protections in the country. Those protections work best when an attorney coordinates them into a plan built around your specific situation. At Hedstrom Law, P.A., we handle asset protection for clients in Jacksonville, FL, as part of a practice that spans estate planning, trusts, probate, and real estate law. That combination lets us connect the legal tools that protect your home, savings, and property into a single, coherent strategy rather than a patchwork of disconnected steps.

Proactive planning before a claim arises gives you the widest range of options. Waiting until a lawsuit is filed or a creditor makes a demand limits what can be done legally and effectively.

To discuss your asset protection goals with our team, call (386) 357-3340 to schedule a free consultation. Evening and weekend appointments are available.

Lady Bird Deeds & Life Estate Planning in Jacksonville

One of the most effective and underused tools for Florida homeowners is the Lady Bird Deed, also called an enhanced life estate deed. It allows you to transfer your real estate to named beneficiaries at death without going through probate, while keeping full control of the property during your lifetime. You can sell the property, mortgage it, or change the beneficiaries at any time without their consent. That flexibility separates it from a traditional life estate deed.

For Jacksonville homeowners thinking about long-term care costs, the Medicaid dimension matters. Under current Florida law, property passing through a Lady Bird Deed is generally outside the reach of the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) because MERP may only recover from the probate estate. A Lady Bird Deed also doesn’t trigger Medicaid’s five-year lookback period, since the owner retains the right to revoke or sell the property during their lifetime. These protections reflect current Florida law and MERP policy, which can change with legislative or regulatory action.

A few practical points about Lady Bird Deeds:

• Homestead protections are generally preserved when the deed is properly drafted, including the Save Our Homes assessment cap
• Homestead law requires careful drafting when a surviving spouse or minor children are involved under Florida Statute section 732.401
• Only real property is covered other assets require separate tools such as beneficiary designations, pay-on-death accounts, or trusts
• Cost and simplicity make a Lady Bird Deed a practical alternative to a revocable living trust when the primary goal is keeping one Florida property out of probate

Because our practice includes both real estate law and estate planning, we handle the deed drafting alongside the broader estate plan. Title considerations, beneficiary coordination, and long-term care planning are addressed together, not referred out to a separate engagement.

Why Jacksonville Clients Work With Hedstrom Law, P.A.

Asset protection planning that touches both deed drafting and estate strategy requires an attorney who can address all of it in one place. Our attorneys are familiar with local courts and the legal community throughout Duval County, which informs how we structure strategies. We treat clients as team members, which means direct communication, clear explanations of your options, and decisions that stay in your hands.

We serve clients throughout Jacksonville and Putnam County. Free consultations are available, with evening and weekend scheduling for clients who can’t step away during business hours. Call (386) 357-3340 to schedule a consultation about protecting what you’ve built.