Trust • Experience • Results
Tampa Estate Planning Attorney
Experienced Florida estate planning attorneys serving Tampa and Hillsborough County. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and comprehensive probate avoidance strategies.
Trust • Experience • Results
Estate Planning for Tampa Families
Tampa is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in Florida, attracting young professionals, growing families, business owners, and retirees. Each of these groups has different estate planning needs, but they share the same fundamental challenge: without a plan, Florida law makes the decisions for you.
If you own a home in South Tampa, a condo in Channelside, or property in Westchase or Carrollwood, your assets need to be structured so they pass to your family efficiently and privately. Probate in Florida can take 6 to 12 months and becomes a matter of public record. A properly structured estate plan avoids both problems.
Barnes Walker is a full-service Florida law firm licensed to practice statewide. While our offices are in Bradenton and Sarasota, we serve Tampa and Hillsborough County clients regularly. Estate planning documents are governed by Florida state law, making our services equally effective for Tampa families.
Trust • Experience • Results
Our Estate Planning Services
We provide a complete range of estate planning services for Tampa area residents:
- Last Will and Testament: Names your heirs, guardians for minor children, and personal representative.
- Revocable Living Trust: Avoids probate and provides seamless asset transfer to your beneficiaries.
- Irrevocable Trust: Asset protection and tax planning for larger estates.
- Durable Power of Attorney: Appoints someone to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated.
- Healthcare Surrogate: Names a trusted person to make medical decisions on your behalf.
- Living Will: Documents your end-of-life care preferences.
- Business Succession Planning: Ensures your Tampa-area business can continue operating or be sold as planned.
Tampa has a large business community, and many of our business-owning clients need estate plans that integrate with their business succession strategies. Our attorneys understand how to coordinate wills, trusts, and business agreements into a cohesive plan.
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Hillsborough County Probate and Court Information
Probate matters for Tampa residents are handled in the 13th Judicial Circuit at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, located at 800 E. Twiggs St. in downtown Tampa. The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court processes probate filings and maintains estate records.
One of the strongest arguments for a trust-based estate plan is that it bypasses this court process entirely. Your assets transfer directly to your beneficiaries through your trustee, without filing a single petition.
For estates that do require probate, our attorneys are experienced with Florida probate procedures and can represent Tampa families through the summary or formal administration process.
Tampa Estate Planning FAQs
Yes. Barnes Walker is licensed to practice throughout the state of Florida. Our attorneys regularly serve clients in Hillsborough County and handle estate planning, trust administration, and probate matters for Tampa area families. Estate planning documents are governed by state law, not county law, so our services apply equally to Tampa residents.
Probate matters for Hillsborough County residents are handled at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa, located at 800 E. Twiggs St. The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court manages probate filings. Barnes Walker attorneys are experienced with filings in the 13th Judicial Circuit.
Tampa homeowners should have at minimum a last will and testament, a revocable living trust (to avoid probate), a durable power of attorney, a healthcare surrogate designation, and a living will. Business owners in Tampa may also need succession planning documents and buy-sell agreements as part of their estate plan.
The most common way to avoid probate on a Tampa home is to transfer the property into a revocable living trust. Other options include a lady bird deed (enhanced life estate deed) or holding title as joint tenants with right of survivorship. Our attorneys can evaluate which strategy is best for your situation.
Estate Planning Resources
Trust • Experience • Results
Protect Your Family's Future
A short conversation with one of our attorneys can bring clarity and peace of mind. We serve Tampa families with the same personal attention we give our Bradenton and Sarasota clients.
Speak with an AttorneyServing Tampa, South Tampa, Westchase, Carrollwood, Brandon, Riverview, and all of Hillsborough County.