For retirees who want a simple way to keep their Palm Beach residence in the family without probate, a Lady Bird deed — known formally as an enhanced life estate deed — is often an ideal tool. Recognized under Florida law, it lets you keep full control of your home during your lifetime while it passes automatically to your chosen beneficiaries at death.
What Is a Lady Bird Deed?
An enhanced life estate deed reserves a life estate for you, plus the retained power to sell, mortgage, or change your mind about the property without the consent of the remainder beneficiaries. When you pass away, whatever interest remains transfers directly to those beneficiaries, bypassing probate. This combination of control during life and automatic transfer at death is what makes the Lady Bird deed distinctive.
Why Snowbirds Like It
Seasonal residents often want their Florida home to go quickly and quietly to their children, who may live out of state and cannot easily attend a Palm Beach County probate. A Lady Bird deed accomplishes that with a single recorded document. It is frequently simpler and less expensive than a trust for a family whose main Florida asset is the home itself.
Keeping Your Homestead Benefits
Because you retain full control and continue to live in the property, a Lady Bird deed generally allows you to keep your Florida homestead tax exemption and the Save Our Homes assessment cap during your lifetime. It also does not count as a completed gift while you are alive, since you can revoke it at any time. These features help preserve the protections retirees value most.
How It Compares to Other Tools
A traditional life estate deed gives away control — you would need the remainder beneficiaries’ consent to sell. A revocable trust offers broader, more flexible planning across many assets. A Lady Bird deed sits in between: focused on one property, inexpensive, and fully revocable. For some retirees a deed alone is enough; for others it complements a trust and will.
When a Lady Bird Deed May Not Fit
If you have a surviving spouse or minor child, Florida’s homestead descent rules may restrict how you can leave the property, and a deed cannot override them. Complex family situations, blended families, or creditor concerns may call for a different approach. We review your full picture before recommending a deed.
Consult a Florida attorney: This is general information, not legal advice. Whether a Lady Bird deed is right for you depends on your property and family. Speak with a licensed Florida attorney before recording any deed.
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