Stephen also covers the mistakes that derail these deeds: missing spousal signatures, missing the enhanced language that makes the deed valid, and naming grantees who predecease the grantor. A do-it-yourself deed can trigger tax reassessments, invalidate homestead protections, or spark family disputes that outlast any lawsuit.

One conversation with the right attorney can prevent all of it.

In this episode, you will hear:

• What a Lady Bird deed is and why Florida homeowners are talking about it
• How retained control separates enhanced life estate deeds from traditional ones
• When a Lady Bird deed makes sense — and when a trust is the smarter move
• The homestead rules that catch even attorneys off guard
• Why DIY deeds can trigger tax reassessments and family disputes that don't heal
• Medicaid planning and why no actual title transfer matters more than people realize
• What to expect when calling Stephen Lacey's office for an estate planning conversation

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Stephen also walks through the most common trust mistakes he sees: unfunded accounts, outdated beneficiary designations, and out-of-state property that quietly triggers a second probate. One overlooked bank account with $10,000 in it can cost $4,500 to probate.

The right plan, built before it's needed, changes everything for the families left behind.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why probate in Florida typically runs nine months to a year — and sometimes much longer
• The real cost breakdown, including 3% attorney's fees and what court filing actually runs
• Revocable trusts as the gold standard for avoiding probate, and why having one isn't enough
• Beneficiary designation mistakes that send assets through probate anyway
• How joint ownership works in Florida, and where it falls short as a long-term strategy
• Florida homestead rules and the hidden complications they create for surviving spouses and children
• What families can do to make probate faster and less expensive when it can't be avoided

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

In this first episode, Stephen traces his path from Mercer Law School to a University of Florida tax LL.M. to a desk hidden behind a bookcase in his father-in-law's Melbourne, Florida firm. He talks about why estate planning conversations don't have to be grim, how misinformation about power of attorney keeps landing families in probate they never planned for, and why he built his practice around education first.

Legacy is values, assets, and protection — sometimes all three at once. Stephen Lacey is here to help families sort out which one they actually need.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Growing up in a military family that moved constantly, and what that taught him about people
• Mercer Law School, a University of Florida LL.M. in tax law, and the decision that shaped his specialty
• Starting his career behind a literal bookcase in his father-in-law's Melbourne, Florida firm
• Why estate planning meetings don't have to feel heavy — and how his office is built around that
• The power of attorney myth that keeps sending families straight into probate
• Why he talks to every client about real estate, tax law, business structure, and asset protection in the same conversation
• What legacy actually means — values, asset protection, and making sure hard-earned money survives bad luck

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Hosted by the attorneys at Lacey Rezanka, each episode tackles the questions we hear every day—what you can do now to protect what you’ve built, how trusts really work, what triggers probate problems, and how to avoid costly mistakes caused by oversimplified internet advice. Expect myth-busting, real-world examples, and a client-first approach grounded in experience.