Reviewed by Long H. Duong, Esq., Florida Bar No. 11857. Last reviewed August 2026.
Bottom line: A Florida Lady Bird Deed prepared by a Florida-licensed attorney costs $349 flat at LadyBirdDeed.online, plus roughly $10 to $50 in county recording fees. There is no separate consultation charge, no hourly billing, and no monthly maintenance.
- Attorney fee (single grantor): $349 flat
- Attorney fee (married or joint grantors): $399 flat
- County recording fee: $10 to $50 (paid to your Clerk of Court under Fla. Stat. § 28.24)
- Documentary stamp tax: $0.70 minimum (Fla. Stat. § 201.02)
- Turnaround: 3 to 5 business days, delivered by email
Skip probate on a $350,000 Florida home and your family saves around $22,000 in attorney fees, personal representative commissions, and court costs. The $349 one-time deed cost is roughly 1.6% of that savings. Try the numbers with your home’s value on our Florida Probate Cost Calculator.
What you actually pay for a Florida Lady Bird Deed
Every deed we prepare has three cost components. Only the first goes to LD Legal, LLC.
| Cost item | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney-prepared deed (single grantor) | $349 flat | LD Legal, LLC (attorney fee) |
| Attorney-prepared deed (married or joint grantors) | $399 flat | LD Legal, LLC (attorney fee) |
| County recording fee (varies by county) | $10 to $50 | County Clerk of Court under Fla. Stat. § 28.24 |
| Doc stamp tax on the deed | $0.70 | Florida Department of Revenue under Fla. Stat. § 201.02 |
Example total for a Marion County homestead: $349 attorney fee + $18.50 recording (two pages) + $0.70 doc stamp + $10 notary at your bank = $378.20 all in. Nothing else, ever.
See our complete Florida county recording fee schedule for exact amounts in your county.
How does that compare to Florida probate?
Florida probate on a $350,000 home typically costs around $22,000 when the attorney fee follows the presumptive schedule in Fla. Stat. § 733.6171 (approximately $10,500 for ordinary services), plus a personal-representative commission of similar size under Fla. Stat. § 733.617, plus court filing costs. Actual probate fees vary. Heirs can negotiate flat or hourly arrangements, and contested estates cost substantially more.
| Home value | Probate cost (typical) | Lady Bird Deed cost | Your family saves |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | ~$12,000 | $349 | ~$11,650 |
| $350,000 | ~$22,000 | $349 | ~$21,650 |
| $500,000 | ~$30,000 | $349 | ~$29,650 |
| $750,000 | ~$45,000 | $349 | ~$44,650 |
Assumes presumptive statutory formula; actual fees can vary by agreement, complexity, or challenge. Try the exact numbers for your home value: Florida Probate Cost Calculator.
Start your $349 Lady Bird Deed →
3 to 5 business days · Florida-licensed attorney · flat fee
Why is the Lady Bird Deed so much cheaper than other estate planning options?
The Lady Bird Deed does one specific job well: it passes a single piece of Florida real estate to a named beneficiary at your death, outside probate, without giving up your right to sell or revoke during life. Because the drafting is standardized, the price can be standardized.
| Planning tool | Typical cost | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Lady Bird Deed | $349 flat | One property. Skips probate. Preserves homestead and Medicaid eligibility. |
| Revocable Living Trust | $1,500 to $3,500 | Multiple assets. Skips probate. Ongoing funding required. |
| Last Will and Testament | $400 to $900 | Directs assets at death. Still requires probate. |
| Quitclaim Deed | $100 to $300 | Immediate transfer. Loses homestead and triggers gift-tax and Medicaid look-back. |
| Life Estate Deed (traditional) | $300 to $500 | Skips probate but locks in the beneficiary. You can’t sell without their signature. |
The Lady Bird Deed is Florida’s most cost-effective probate-avoidance tool for anyone whose main asset is one home. If you own multiple properties, a business, or want staggered distributions to minor beneficiaries, a trust is the right answer.
The hidden six-figure savings: stepped-up basis
Because a Lady Bird Deed transfers no present interest during life, your beneficiary inherits the property at its date-of-death fair market value under IRC § 1014, not your original purchase price. On a home bought for $90,000 that is worth $350,000 at your death, that resets $260,000 of taxable gain to zero. A quitclaim deed during life does not do this: the beneficiary keeps your $90,000 basis and owes capital-gains tax on the full appreciation when they sell.
Medicaid Estate Recovery: the second big-dollar reason
A properly drafted Lady Bird Deed is not a transfer for Medicaid look-back purposes and is not subject to Florida’s Medicaid Estate Recovery Act (Fla. Stat. § 409.9101) because the property passes outside the probate estate. A quitclaim deed to the same beneficiary starts a 60-month Medicaid look-back and can disqualify the grantor from long-term-care Medicaid, an outcome that can cost a family $10,000+ per month in nursing-home private pay. See our Florida Lady Bird Deed and Medicaid guide for detail.
Is $349 really the total cost?
Yes for the deed itself. Here is exactly what is included and what is not.
Included in the $349 flat fee
- Attorney drafting of the enhanced life estate deed language required to preserve your right to sell, mortgage, or revoke
- Reserved life-estate language that keeps the homestead property in your name for life, preserving your homestead tax exemption and Save Our Homes assessment cap under Fla. Const. Art. X, § 4 and Fla. Stat. § 193.155
- Contingent-beneficiary drafting (so the deed still works if a beneficiary predeceases you)
- Attorney review by Long H. Duong, Esq., before delivery
- Signed original deed delivered to you by email in PDF
- Cover letter with recording instructions specific to your county
- Notary block prepared and ready for your notary
- Legal-description verification against county records
Not included
- Notary fee ($5 to $15 at most banks, UPS Stores, or the county clerk)
- Two witnesses at signing (required by Florida law; often provided free at the notary’s office)
- County recording fee paid to your local Clerk of Court (see full recording fee schedule)
- Doc stamp tax ($0.70 minimum under Fla. Stat. § 201.02)
When would I ever pay more than $349?
The flat fee assumes a standard Florida homestead transfer. Situations that require additional work:
- Multiple grantors on title with different last names or non-spousal relationships — attorney needs to confirm each grantor’s interest and consent
- Legal description defects in the current title (missing parcel ID, subdivision plat reference errors) — attorney recommends a title search first
- Property held in an existing trust or LLC — deeds out of an entity require additional drafting
- Life estate deed to be revoked at the same time as the Lady Bird Deed replaces it
In these cases we quote the additional cost up front before you pay. No surprises.
How does the ordering process work?
- Order online: pay the $349 flat fee at ladybirddeed.online/start (Stripe checkout, all major cards).
- Complete the intake: two-page questionnaire, takes about 5 minutes. You provide the property address, current owner names, and beneficiary details.
- Attorney drafting: Long H. Duong, Esq. drafts the deed and cross-checks it against county property records.
- Delivery in 3 to 5 business days: signed original deed emailed as PDF with a plain-English cover letter explaining how to sign, notarize, and record.
- You record it locally: take the signed original to your county Clerk of Court’s recording office and pay the recording fee.
Optional add-ons
- Deed revocation or amendment: $195 flat (if you later change your mind or change beneficiaries)
- Multiple Florida properties: $349 for the first property, $199 for each additional property
- Concierge recording service: $99 add-on. We take the signed original to your Clerk’s office for you. Available for Alachua, Marion, Duval, Orange, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.
Frequently Asked Questions About Florida Lady Bird Deed Cost
Is $349 a fair price for a Florida Lady Bird Deed?
Yes. Attorney fees for a standalone Florida Lady Bird Deed generally range from $250 to $1,000 based on publicly advertised rates from Florida estate-planning firms in 2026. Our $349 flat fee reflects a focused, high-volume practice: LD Legal prepares Lady Bird Deeds and closely related instruments almost exclusively, so the drafting workflow is standardized.
Can I prepare a Lady Bird Deed myself without an attorney?
You can, but you shouldn’t. Florida does not require attorney preparation, but a Lady Bird Deed drafted incorrectly can (1) accidentally transfer your homestead exemption to your beneficiary, (2) cost you the Save Our Homes cap, (3) trigger federal gift tax reporting, or (4) fail to skip probate entirely. Correcting a defective deed after death typically costs a probate attorney $2,500 or more. Skipping the $349 to save it is not the actual savings it appears to be.
Do I pay any yearly fee to keep the Lady Bird Deed in effect?
No. Once the deed is signed, notarized, and recorded, it stays in effect until you revoke it or die. No annual filings, no renewals, no maintenance costs.
What is the Florida county recording fee for a Lady Bird Deed?
Florida counties charge under the fee schedule in Fla. Stat. § 28.24. The first page is typically $10, additional pages $8.50 each. Most Lady Bird Deeds are two to three pages, so you pay $18.50 to $27 to the Clerk. See our county-by-county recording fee guide for exact amounts.
Is the $349 tax-deductible?
Legal fees for estate planning are generally not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Ask your tax preparer whether your specific situation allows for deduction.
Can I pay in installments?
At $349, most clients pay at checkout. If cost is a barrier, contact us at Long@LDLegal.com and we can arrange split payment.
Do you offer refunds?
Full refund if we cannot prepare the deed for any reason (unclear title, non-Florida property, etc.). No refund once the deed has been drafted and delivered, because the attorney’s work is complete at that point.
Save your family $10,000+ in probate for $349
Reviewed by Long H. Duong, Esq., Florida Bar No. 11857, admitted 2005, founder of LD Legal, LLC. Last reviewed: August 2026. Sources: Fla. Stat. §§ 28.24, 201.02, 193.155, 409.9101, 689.111, 732.4015, 733.617, 733.6171; Fla. Const. Art. X, § 4; IRC § 1014. This page is general information about Florida Lady Bird Deed costs and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Estate planning outcomes depend on your specific facts, family structure, and long-term care intentions. For advice on your own situation, order a deed through the intake form or contact LD Legal directly.