Business Details
41 Years
experience
Estate Planning & Elder Law Attorneys in Jacksonville, FL
The Coleman Law Firm has provided comprehensive legal services in estate planning, probate, elder law, and asset protection for over 30 years. Our attorneys specialize in crafting tailored solutions to safeguard clients' assets, ensure smooth wealth transfer, and address complex legal challenges. With offices in Jacksonville and Palm Coast, Florida, we serve clients across Northeast Florida, combining deep legal expertise with personalized attention.Our team's extensive experience in Medicaid planning, trust administration, and business succession planning ensures clients receive strategic guidance aligned with evolving legal standards. We prioritize client education, transparent communication, and ethical practices to build lasting trust and deliver exceptional outcomes.
Services
Estate Planning
Probate Law
Elder Law
Asset Protection
Medicaid Planning
Trust Administration
Wills & Trusts
Guardianship Law
Details
- Year established: 1985
Highlights and features
- We offer 30+ years of specialized experience in Florida estate and elder law.
- Our attorneys hold AV Preeminent peer review ratings for legal excellence.
- We design customized asset protection strategies for individual client needs.
- We provide transparent guidance on Medicaid and VA benefits eligibility.
- Our team combines legal expertise with personalized, compassionate service.
Associations and certifications
- Martindale-Hubbell
What people say
Exceptional professionalism
Timely document preparation
Patient client education
Comprehensive asset protection
Knowledgeable elder law guidance
Services
Estate Planning
Our estate planning services create legally sound frameworks to protect assets and ensure client wishes are honored. We draft customized wills, trusts, and advance directives while addressing tax implications and family dynamics. With expertise in Florida-specific laws, we help clients minimize probate complexities and maximize inheritance value for beneficiaries through revocable and irrevocable trust structures.
Probate Law
We guide executors and trustees through Florida's probate process with efficiency and compliance. Our services include will validation, asset inventory, debt settlement, and distribution planning. With deep familiarity of local probate courts, we resolve contested estates and streamline administration for complex or multi-state assets while maintaining strict fiduciary standards.
Medicaid Planning
Our elder law attorneys develop strategic Medicaid eligibility plans while preserving family assets. We implement qualified income trusts, coordinate VA benefits, and structure transfers compliant with Florida's 5-year lookback rules. Our guidance ensures access to skilled nursing care without impoverishing spouses or compromising home equity protections.
Asset Protection
We establish legal barriers against creditor claims through entity structuring and trust arrangements. Our strategies include family limited partnerships, domestic asset protection trusts, and proper real estate titling. We balance protection needs with tax efficiency while maintaining compliance with fraudulent transfer statutes to safeguard both personal and business assets.
Guardianship Law
We establish guardianships for minors and incapacitated adults while advocating for clients' rights. Our services cover temporary/emergency guardianships, incapacity hearings, and ongoing compliance with court reporting requirements. We prioritize least-restrictive alternatives through durable powers of attorney and advance healthcare directives to avoid judicial intervention when possible.
People
C. Randolph Coleman
Founder & Estate Planning Attorney
With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Coleman specializes in estate planning, asset protection, and elder law. A Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney, he has authored legal education programs and served on Florida Bar committees. His background as a former CPA enhances his tax-sensitive planning approach for high-net-worth clients.
Lisa B. Rudolph
Estate Planning Attorney
Ms. Rudolph focuses on wills, trusts, and probate litigation. Licensed in Florida and Georgia, she represents clients in trust administration and financial exploitation cases. She graduated with Very High Honors from the University of Florida and brings expertise in complex estate matters to the firm.
Questions
What documents are essential for comprehensive estate planning?
A complete estate plan includes a will, revocable trust, durable power of attorney, healthcare surrogate designation, and living will. We customize these documents to address asset distribution, incapacity planning, and tax considerations specific to your situation.
How can I protect assets from nursing home costs?
We implement Medicaid-compliant strategies like qualified income trusts and asset transfers while preserving exemptions for primary residences and caregiver agreements. Early planning maximizes protection under Florida's 5-year lookback period.
What happens if someone dies without a will in Florida?
Intestate estates follow Florida's default distribution rules. Probate court appoints a personal representative, and assets go to surviving spouses and blood relatives according to statutory formulas rather than the decedent's wishes.
Can I challenge a trust or will in Florida?
Contested probate cases require legal grounds like undue influence, lack of capacity, or improper execution. Our firm represents both beneficiaries and fiduciaries in trust and will contests through mediation or litigation.
What's the difference between a revocable and irrevocable trust?
Revocable trusts avoid probate and allow asset management during incapacity but don't protect against creditors. Irrevocable trusts offer asset protection and tax benefits but require relinquishing control over transferred assets.
How do I qualify for VA benefits for long-term care?
We help veterans meet service, discharge, and financial requirements for Aid and Attendance benefits. Proper asset structuring ensures eligibility while coordinating with Medicaid planning to cover skilled nursing costs.
