Your Questions, Answered.

Yes — Medicaid planning is one of our core practice areas. We help individuals and families protect their assets while qualifying for Florida Medicaid to cover nursing home and long-term care costs. Attorney Patricia Keyes has extensive experience navigating Florida's Medicaid rules, income limits, and spend-down strategies. We serve clients across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

Yes. Asset protection planning is a key part of what we do. Through Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts, Lady Bird Deeds, annuities, and other legal strategies, we help clients preserve their life savings while still qualifying for Medicaid-funded long-term care. The earlier you plan, the more options you have — contact us to learn more.

A Lady Bird Deed (Enhanced Life Estate Deed) allows you to keep full control of your home during your lifetime while automatically transferring it to your chosen beneficiaries at death — avoiding probate and protecting the property from Medicaid estate recovery. It's a powerful and cost-effective tool for Florida homeowners. We can evaluate whether it makes sense for your situation.

The sooner the better. Florida Medicaid has a 5-year look-back period, meaning asset transfers made within 5 years of applying for Medicaid can result in penalties. Early planning gives you the most options for protecting your assets. If you or a loved one may need nursing home care in the future, we encourage you to schedule a consultation as soon as possible.

A will directs how your assets are distributed after death but must go through probate court. A trust (such as a revocable living trust) allows assets to pass to beneficiaries without probate, which is often faster, more private, and less expensive. Attorney Keyes can evaluate your specific situation and recommend the right structure for your family.

A comprehensive Florida estate plan typically includes:

• Last Will and Testament
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Healthcare Surrogate Designation
• Living Will (Advance Directive)
• Revocable Living Trust (when appropriate)

We customize each plan to your family's goals and financial situation.

Yes — estate planning is about more than wealth. Without a will or power of attorney, Florida courts may appoint someone you wouldn't have chosen to make decisions for you or your children. Documents like a Healthcare Surrogate and Living Will ensure your medical wishes are followed. We offer plans for families at every financial level.

Yes. We offer consultations to discuss your estate planning, Medicaid, or probate needs. During the consultation, Attorney Keyes or our legal team will review your situation and explain your options. Please call our office or use the contact form on our website to schedule.

We serve Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Our office is located in Plantation, FL (Broward County). We work with families throughout South Florida on estate planning, Medicaid planning, probate, and elder law matters.

Probate is the court-supervised process of distributing a deceased person's estate. In Florida, formal probate typically takes 6–12 months, though complex estates can take longer. We guide families through every step of the process — from filing the petition to final distribution — minimizing delays and stress.

We focus exclusively on elder law and estate planning — it's all we do. Attorney Patricia Keyes holds both a J.D. and an LL.M. in Estate Planning, and our team includes experienced paralegals who specialize in Medicaid. We offer personalized attention, bilingual services, and a genuine commitment to protecting our clients' families and life savings.

Yes! Our office is bilingual. We have Spanish-speaking staff who can assist clients throughout the estate planning, Medicaid planning, and probate process. We proudly serve South Florida's diverse communities in both English and Spanish.