St. Augustine Elder Law Attorney | Medicaid, Guardianship & Estate Planning

Personalized Elder Law Services for Northeast Florida Seniors and Families

Aging brings both opportunities and challenges—for you and the people who care about you. Planning ahead can reduce stress, protect assets, preserve dignity, and ensure you and your loved ones receive the best possible care.

12 Attorneys and 265+ Years of Combined Experience

At St. Johns Law Group, our Elder Law attorneys deliver skilled, compassionate guidance to help seniors and their families navigate the legal, medical, and financial complexities of later life. We focus on practical, effective solutions that fit your unique needs, your family dynamics, and Florida’s legal environment.

What Is Elder Law?

Elder law is a specialized practice area that serves the legal needs of older adults, adults with disabilities, and their families. It’s not just about estate planning—it’s about ensuring quality of life, protecting hard-earned assets, planning for health care costs, avoiding exploitation, and creating clear instructions for times of incapacity.

Core goals of elder law include:

• Planning for long-term care while protecting assets

• Qualifying for Medicaid and other benefits without impoverishing the healthy spouse

• Avoiding guardianship through advance planning

• Ensuring wishes are followed in medical emergencies

• Providing peace of mind for families

Our Comprehensive Elder Law Services

At St. Johns Law Group, we deliver full-service elder law counsel in St. Augustine and throughout Northeast Florida. Below are key services we offer:

Medicaid & Long-Term Care Planning

Nursing homes and assisted living can cost thousands of dollars a month, threatening to deplete a lifetime of savings. Florida Medicaid can help—but eligibility rules are strict.

We help families:

• Understand Medicaid’s asset and income rules

• Develop legal strategies to qualify while preserving assets for spouses or heirs

• Use tools like Qualified Income Trusts (Miller Trusts)

• Plan early to avoid crisis-driven spend-down

• Navigate Medicaid applications and appeals

Example Scenario: A married couple worried about paying for nursing care can often protect the healthy spouse’s income and home with proper planning.

Powers of Attorney & Advance Directives

A core element of elder law is planning for incapacity. Florida law allows you to choose trusted individuals to make decisions if you can’t.

We prepare:

• Durable Financial Powers of Attorney

• Health Care Surrogate Designations

• Living Wills (Advance Directives for end-of-life care)

• HIPAA Authorizations

These documents avoid expensive court-ordered guardianships and ensure your wishes are honored in medical crises.

Guardianship & Incapacity Proceedings

If a loved one loses the ability to manage their own affairs and hasn’t planned ahead, families may need to seek guardianship through Florida’s courts.

Our attorneys:

• Advise on the necessity of guardianship

• File guardianship petitions

• Represent family members seeking appointment

• Advocate for the rights and dignity of the alleged incapacitated person

• Handle annual reporting and compliance

We strive to balance protection and autonomy, respecting your family’s values and needs.

Estate Planning for Seniors

Estate planning is essential for people of any age, but seniors often face special considerations:

• Avoiding unnecessary probate costs

• Planning for incapacity

• Reducing conflict among heirs

• Ensuring clear, legally enforceable wishes

Our estate planning services include:

• Wills

• Revocable Living Trusts

• Irrevocable Trusts (for Medicaid or asset protection planning)

• Lady Bird Deeds (Enhanced Life Estate Deeds)

• Special Needs Trusts for disabled dependents

We help you choose the right strategy for your goals.

Asset Protection Strategies

Florida offers powerful asset protection tools—but you need to use them correctly. We advise on:

• Homestead protections

• Joint ownership and titling options

• Trust-based planning

• Annuities and exempt assets for Medicaid qualification

Our approach is practical, ethical, and tailored to Florida’s complex rules.

Probate & Estate Administration

When a loved one passes away, families often face complex legal requirements. Our probate attorneys:

• Guide personal representatives through Florida probate

• Handle summary administration for smaller estates

• Manage creditor claims and asset distribution

• Advise on avoiding probate through planning

We aim to reduce stress and resolve matters efficiently and respectfully.

Why Choose St. Johns Law Group for Elder Law?

Local Knowledge. Deep Roots.

We’re St. Augustine’s largest law firm. We know local courts, agencies, and the real-world resources seniors rely on in Northeast Florida.

Comprehensive Legal Services

Unlike small solo offices, we can address the full spectrum of your needs—from Medicaid planning to real estate sales, guardianships, and probate.

Client-First Approach

We listen. We explain. We tailor solutions to you. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and strategies you need to make the right choices.

Decades of Combined Experience

Our attorneys have handled hundreds of elder law, estate planning, guardianship, and probate matters—right here in Northeast Florida.

Serving St. Augustine & Surrounding Communities

We proudly help clients throughout:

• St. Johns County: St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, Ponte Vedra, Nocatee, Julington Creek, Fruit Cove, Hastings, Elkton, World Golf Village

• Flagler County: Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Bunnell

• Duval County: Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Mandarin, Southside

• Clay County: Fleming Island, Green Cove Springs

• Putnam County: Palatka, Crescent City

• Southern Georgia: Select matters

📞Schedule Your Elder Law Consultation Today

Don’t wait until a crisis forces decisions. Let our experienced elder law attorneys help you and your family plan with confidence.

Call us at (904) 495-0400
Contact us online

We look forward to serving you with the dedication and care you deserve.