PTM Legal

(352) 554-5576

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PTM Trust and Estate Law

A Florida Law Firm

We focus our practice on trust estate law, including the law surrounding estate planning, probates, fiduciaries, real title, and guardianship. That means that our legal knowledge is focused on these specific areas. We often tell our clients that if you want a lawyer who does a little bit of everything, then you should go somewhere else. But if you want a lawyer with a deep knowledge of the laws surrounding estates and trusts, consider scheduling a free consultation with us.

"Blake and Angela truly care about their clients and the work they do is stellar. " Sandra H.

"I reached out to the team at PTM Trust and had an excellent experience! "Leo B.

"I would not hesitate to recommend them to friends and family." Scott M.

Trusts and Estates in Florida

We believe that when it comes to property law, you want someone who isn’t spreading his or herself thin across other unrelated practice areas. The law is incredibly complex, and each area of legal practice is a mile wide. This is certainly true of Florida probates and trusts. That is why you want a lawyer who focuses only on the relevant property and guardianship law. Wills, Trusts, and Estates should not be a hobby or side practice for your lawyer; it needs to be a focused skill.

Because we believe that depth of knowledge is a requirement for any Florida probate lawyer, we have spent a significant amount of time delving into the nitty-gritty of wills and trusts, so you can trust we know the ins and outs. To see this for yourself, take a look at some of our articles on revocable trusts, lady bird deeds, or wills. We write about the law both to keep our clients informed, and to keep ourselves sharp.

Choosing a lawyer is a big decision, especially when it comes to your assets and future. That is why we try to stay ahead of any legal shifts that might affect you. Blakely has given multiple presentations to other Gainesville probate attorneys on updates to the Florida Trust Code. We have represented other lawyers, professionals in all sorts of fields, and even a law professor. Both Kaytlin and Blakely were educated at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, and to be honest we never stopped learning.

Blake and his staff are very professional, informative and responsive every step of the way.
Paul B.
Gainesville, Fl
PTM Probate Attorney

Practicing in

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Practice Areas

Estate Planning

We help individuals and families organize their financial and legal affairs to ensure their assets are distributed efficiently and according to their wishes after death, while also addressing healthcare and financial decision-making during their lifetime. We prepare Wills and Trusts for clients, which outline how assets should be distributed. We also advise clients on how to properly handle Retirement Accounts and Beneficiary Designations. The firm ensures these accounts, such as IRAs or 401(k)s, are titled correctly and aligned with the client’s estate plan, as these assets typically bypass a Will or Trust and go directly to the named beneficiaries. Often, our planning involves discussing potential tax advantages, such as preserving the Step-Up in Basis for appreciated assets like real estate or investments. This strategy can significantly reduce capital gains taxes for heirs when they sell the inherited assets.

Probate Administration

We guide people through the probate process, which involves settling a loved one’s estate after their passing. This includes filing the Last Will and Testament with the probate court, obtaining Letters of Administration, and ensuring proper asset distribution to beneficiaries. We handle tasks like creating an estate inventory, notifying creditors, resolving debts, and managing non-probate assets like those held in a revocable trust or transferred via Lady Bird Deeds. We also assist with disputes, such as a will contest, and provide strategies for probate avoidance, such as setting up a living trust or using transfer on death (TOD) designations.

Trust Modification and Termination

We provide guidance in updating or dissolving irrevocable trusts. This sometimes means judicial modification, nonjudicial settlement agreements, nonjudicial modification, trust decanting, or common law modification. We are familiar with modification and termination methods described in both the Florida common law and the Florida Trust Code.

Trust Administration

We help clients navigate through the complexities of trust administration, ensuring that trustees fulfill their fiduciary duties while managing trust assets in accordance with the trust agreement. We assist with tasks like trust funding, trust accounting, and overseeing trust distributions to beneficiaries, while keeping in mind Florida’s large amount of relevant trust case law and the Florida Trust Code. We also advise in trust litigation and disputes, representing trustees and beneficiaries in different matters.

Probate and Trust Litigation

We advise in the litigation, mediation, and resolution of legal disputes involving probate processes, estate administration, and trust management. We represent clients in will contests, trust disputes, and estate mismanagement claims, helping protect beneficiary rights and address issues such as fiduciary breaches or undue influence claims. We assist with personal representative responsibilities, trustee removal, intestate succession disputes, creditor claims, trust accounting irregularities, and other fiduciary litigation matters.

Real Estate Title Actions

We help resolve property ownership disputes through legal processes like quiet title actions. Title actions can clear title defects, address adverse possession claims, and resolve real property disputes. This can also be handled through actions such as slander of title and deed reformation. All of these actions require an understanding of title issues, title insurance, and title defects.

Guardianship

We guide our clients through the guardianship process, including guardianship of minor children and guardianship for disabled adults. We file guardianship petitions, represent clients in guardianship hearings, and preparing the necessary Florida guardianship forms. We handle both guardianship of the person and property. We advise on temporary guardianship and emergency guardianship cases. A guardianship law firm also offers legal counsel on guardianship of the person and property, helps create guardianship plans, and addresses issues related to court-appointed guardianship.
PTM Probate Attorney

Our office is located off of Tower Road, near I-75.

Call us at (352)554-5576 if you need any assistance finding us!

200 NW 75th Drive, Suite B
Gainesville, FL 32607

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