Will Attorney in Jacksonville, FL

Wills for Individuals & Families Throughout the Jacksonville Area

Without a valid will, Florida law decides who receives your property, who raises your children, and who manages your estate. The state’s intestate succession rules distribute assets according to a fixed formula that may not reflect what you actually wanted. At Hedstrom Law, P.A., we assist Jacksonville-area clients in creating last will and testament documents that are legally sound, clearly drafted, and designed to hold up in probate court.

We handle wills as part of a broader practice that includes probate administration and litigation. The attorneys who draft your will also handle probate proceedings and contested estate matters, which means we see firsthand how document errors and poorly drafted wills play out before a judge. Evening and weekend consultations are available for clients who can’t step away during the workday.

Ready to put your estate plan in place? Call our team at (386) 200-6547 to schedule a consultation at a time that works for you, including evenings and weekends.

What a Last Will & Testament Does in Florida

A will is the foundational document for directing what happens to your estate after you die. It designates beneficiaries, specifies which assets each receives after debts and estate expenses are paid, and names the personal representative, the individual you trust to administer the estate through probate.

For parents, a will also serves a separate and critical function: nominating a guardian for minor children if both parents have passed. A court will consider that nomination when determining who should raise your children.

Dying without a valid will in Florida triggers intestate succession. If you have a surviving spouse and descendants from a prior relationship, each inherits half the estate. Unmarried partners, stepchildren who weren’t legally adopted, and charities you intended to benefit receive nothing under intestate law. In the rare case where no qualifying heirs exist, your assets pass to the state of Florida. The collapsed section below covers the full intestate distribution order in detail.

Florida’s Requirements for a Valid Will

Florida imposes specific execution requirements. A will that fails any one of them is treated as no will at all, and the estate falls back to intestate succession or a prior valid document.

The legal requirements under Florida law:

• Age and capacity: The testator must be at least 18 years old and of sound mind, demonstrating testamentary capacity at the time of signing.
• Written and signed: The will must be in writing and signed by the testator at the end of the document, or by another person signing at the testator’s direction and in their presence.
• Two witnesses: At least two witnesses must be present at the signing and must also sign the will in the presence of the testator and each other.
• Self-proving affidavit: A notarized affidavit signed alongside the will eliminates the need for witnesses to appear in probate court and can streamline estate administration.

Florida doesn’t recognize handwriting-only (holographic) wills or oral wills. If the document doesn’t meet these standards, the probate court will reject it.

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

Our practice spans estate planning, probate administration, and litigation. Because our attorneys draft wills and handle probate and contested estate matters, we understand the arguments used to challenge a will and draft documents to reduce those vulnerabilities from the start. Will contests can be filed on grounds including lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, fraud, or failure to meet execution requirements. Each of these is a drafting and documentation consideration, not just a courtroom issue. The collapsed section below covers contest grounds in detail.

Our familiarity with local attorneys and judges informs how we approach estate planning documents for Jacksonville-area clients. We treat clients as team members: you make the decisions about your estate, and we provide the guidance to make them with full information. Evening and weekend appointments are available because we know that putting off estate planning is often a scheduling problem as much as anything else.

Where a Will Fits in Your Broader Estate Plan

A will governs assets that remain in your estate at death and must pass through probate. Assets held in a living trust, or with named beneficiaries on life insurance policies, retirement accounts, or payable-on-death bank accounts, transfer outside the will and outside probate entirely.

A pour-over will can bridge the gap by directing any assets not transferred into a trust during your lifetime to flow into it at death, though those assets still go through probate. Powers of attorney and health care surrogates handle financial and medical decisions during incapacity. These are functions a will can’t perform because it only takes effect after death. A living will (advance directive) records your medical preferences for end-of-life situations. Whether a will alone is sufficient or whether additional documents would add protection is something we work through with each client individually.

Starting or Updating Your Will in Jacksonville

Creating a will starts with a consultation where we learn what you own, who you want to benefit, and who you trust to serve as your personal representative and, if relevant, as guardian for your children. We then draft a document that reflects your intentions and meets Florida’s execution requirements, walking you through each provision before you sign.

Life changes should prompt a will review: marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, the death of a named beneficiary or personal representative, or a significant shift in your assets. A will that no longer reflects your circumstances can create exactly the disputes and outcomes you were trying to prevent.

Schedule a Will Consultation with Hedstrom Law, P.A.

We serve clients throughout Jacksonville, FL and welcome inquiries from anyone who has been putting off estate planning. Evening and weekend consultations are available so scheduling doesn’t have to be another barrier. Call Hedstrom Law, P.A. at (386) 200-6547 to get started.