Lady Bird Deeds (Enhanced Life Estate Deed)

Estate Planning | Elder Law Attorney

“Estate Planning in Paradise”

Enhanced Life Estate Deed / Lady Bird Deeds

What we all know as a Lady Bird deed is actually an Enhanced Life Estate Deed. Rumor has it the unusual nickname came to be when a law school professor was teaching and explaining the concept to his class. Law school professors love to use stories and examples to teach and help their students remember the law. He used Lady Bird Johnson as an example in his story and ever since then it has been commonly referred to as a Lady Bird deed.

Enhanced Life Estate Deed / Lady Bird Deeds, Venice Florida

An enhanced life estate deed is simply a life estate deed with the grantor retaining more rights and powers than he normally would.

For example, a typical life estate deed is where the person who owns a house wishes to give their house to someone else, (usually their son or daughter), to avoid probate.

The homeowner signs a deed giving away the property but retains the right to live in the house until they die. When the homeowner passes away the title automatically passes to the son or daughter. The downside is that, once the deed is signed, the right to live there is the only right the homeowner retains. He can’t sell the house, or mortgage it, or take equity out of it, without the permission of the son or daughter, who are called the remaindermen. Most people are very uncomfortable giving up all of their home ownership rights in this manner.

The Lady Bird deed, which is only legal in five states, solves this problem.

It is still a life estate deed as described above but it allows the homeowner to retain their home ownership rights. It allows the homeowner to retain the right to sell, convey, and mortgage the house if they so choose and without the permission of the remainderman. Most importantly, the Lady Bird deed allows the homeowner to re-convey or take back all their interest in the property, if they so desire. These enhanced features make this type of deed a useful tool in many estate planning situations.

It is not the perfect solution for everyone.

It does have its drawbacks and it works best when there is only one or two remaindermen. It is also not based upon any Florida statutory law. It is based upon case law and as such there are still some disputes as to how effective they are in more complicated family estates.

Is a Lady Bird deed right for you?

If you think that a Lady Bird deed might be a tool you can use in your estate plan come in and visit with attorney Al. He will help you weigh all the pros and cons and determine if it is the right plan for you.

Testimonials

"Al took exceptional care of our estate planning needs. He was very patient as he explained the documents and exactly what we were signing and what each document means. We are so grateful we met Al and hired him to lead us through our estate planning needs. I highly recommend Al without hesitation!"

Angela Snyder

"Al Pandl has exceeded our expectations with assisting us with our estate planning. It is comforting to know that our estate is in good hands and our children will not have to experience this transition alone. We highly recommend taking the time to sit down with Al and learn what is necessary to secure your "stuff"."

Doreen Fitzgerald

"I had attended a workshop for estate planning that was held by Al. The workshop taught me about so many things that I needed to take care of and not continue to put off for the future.. My husband and I made an appointment to discuss the details of what we needed for our circumstances. Al helped us to make a plan for the future. Al took the stress out of the process for us and I would highly recommend calling Al for your estate needs TODAY."

Wanda Hall

"Al and Amanda at Pandl Law were simply amazing to work with. I was the executor of my mother’s will and had absolutely no idea how to even begin the process of dealing with an estate, etc. It can be very overwhelming. They handled everything and made the process so much easier with their knowledge and guidance. Also, if I had any questions or concerns, they got back to me immediately."

K1124

"My husband and I were in need of help and advice quickly and Al went above and beyond in assisting with our needs. We highly recommend Pandl Law PLLC. Al is compassionate and knowledgeable about estate planning. My husband and I have peace of mind knowing that things are in order."

Jennifer Samuels

"Al Pandl with Pandl Law is a true caring professional. During the consultation he was able to explain in great detail how to set up my parents trust. I highly recommend him! "

Todd Christopher

"Al is an excellent attorney. He sincerely cares about his clients. "

Lydia Balderree

"We recently used Pandl Law Firm for some deed work and had a really good experience. They made the process feel a lot less overwhelming than we expected and explained everything in a way that was easy to understand. They were quick to respond whenever I had questions. Everything was handled professionally, and the paperwork was done accurately and on time. We would definitely use them again and would recommend them to anyone who needs help with estate planning. "

Jacque Hunter

"My husband and I appreciate attorney's Pandl knowledge and communication skills helping us to get exactly what we need to document our estate and POA. The price and service time was above the expectations. Thank you. "

Marina Rechitsky

"We had a great experience with Pandl Law for our wills and estate planning. Al and the entire staff were professional, prompt, genuine, and just overall easy to work with. We'd highly recommend!"

Kathy Guy

"Very helpful setting up our trust, throughly explaining all the ramifications. Highly recommend their services. Very nice new office."

Linda Kondorossy

"Estate Planning is probably not on your list of fun things to do today. We get it. At Pandl Law, we blend our legal experience with the relaxed South Florida lifestyle creating a comfortable environment to accomplish a difficult task. Let’s work through this together."

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Lady Bird Deeds (Enhanced Life Estate Deed)

Estate Planning | Elder Law Attorney

Enhanced Life Estate Deed / Lady Bird Deeds

Enhanced Life Estate Deed / Lady Bird Deeds, Venice Florida

An enhanced life estate deed is simply a life estate deed with the grantor retaining more rights and powers than he normally would.

The Lady Bird deed, which is only legal in five states, solves this problem.

It is not the perfect solution for everyone.

Is a Lady Bird deed right for you?

Testimonials

"My husband and I were in need of help and advice quickly and Al went above and beyond in assisting with our needs. We highly recommend Pandl Law PLLC. Al is compassionate and knowledgeable about estate planning. My husband and I have peace of mind knowing that things are in order."

"Al Pandl with Pandl Law is a true caring professional. During the consultation he was able to explain in great detail how to set up my parents trust. I highly recommend him! "

"Al is an excellent attorney. He sincerely cares about his clients. "

"My husband and I appreciate attorney's Pandl knowledge and communication skills helping us to get exactly what we need to document our estate and POA. The price and service time was above the expectations. Thank you. "

"We had a great experience with Pandl Law for our wills and estate planning. Al and the entire staff were professional, prompt, genuine, and just overall easy to work with. We'd highly recommend!"

"Very helpful setting up our trust, throughly explaining all the ramifications. Highly recommend their services. Very nice new office."

Our Estate Planning Services

Estate Planning in Paradise

Wills

Estate Planning in Paradise

Revocable Living Trust

Estate Planning in Paradise

Asset Protection Trust

Estate Planning in Paradise

Special Needs Trusts

Estate Planning in Paradise

Florida Community Property Trust

Estate Planning in Paradise

Probate Attorney

Power of Attorney

Estate Planning in Paradise

Lady Bird Deeds

Estate Planning in Paradise

Pandl Law PLLC

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