Coral Gables Estate Planning Lawyers

U.S. & International Estate Planning for High-Net-Worth Families

At Bridgepointe Global Counsel, our estate planning lawyers provide thoughtful, personalized guidance for clients navigating both immediate and long-term concerns. Since opening our Coral Gables office in 2015, our attorneys have handled thousands of cases, blending domestic and international insight to craft plans that are as sophisticated as they are practical. We work closely with each client to build strategies that reflect their values, objectives, and family dynamics.

We view estate planning as more than a collection of documents. It’s a framework for lifetime control and the continuity of wealth. By integrating asset protection, trusts and wills, tax planning, and cross-border considerations including succession planning, we help you maintain authority over your financial and personal matters while reducing uncertainty. That approach reflects our commitment to long-term relationships built on trust, discretion, and consistent guidance.

Call us at (786) 882-4122 to schedule a free consultation.

Maintaining Authority During Incapacity

Trusts, wills, and other planning tools provide the structural foundation of an estate plan, but day-to-day control during incapacity depends on carefully drafted Powers of Attorney and Advance Directives.

Durable Powers of Attorney
A Durable Power of Attorney designates a trusted individual to manage your financial affairs if you’re unable to do so. It covers bill payment, investments, business operations, and legal matters. A well-drafted document defines the scope of authority clearly, reducing confusion or disputes when assets or interests extend across multiple jurisdictions.

Advance Healthcare Directives
Advance Directives, including living wills and healthcare proxies, let you specify your medical preferences and appoint a healthcare decision-maker. For high-net-worth clients whose families or businesses may be directly affected by critical medical decisions, these documents carry added weight. Thoughtfully prepared directives can reduce stress for loved ones, provide clarity in complex situations, and can be structured to comply with U.S. law while accounting for applicable international considerations.

Cross-Border Estate Planning for Global Families

For families with assets or business interests spanning the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Central America, a domestic-only estate plan isn’t enough. The interaction between U.S. estate law and the tax regimes of other jurisdictions creates layered considerations that standard planning rarely addresses. Our practice is built around that intersection.

Principal Attorney Saidin M. Hernandez holds an LL.M. in Tax and is a member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), an international professional body for trust and estate work. We advise family offices and trust officers on foreign trust structures, and we routinely counsel internationally mobile clients on pre-immigration planning. This addresses estate tax exposure before U.S. tax residency attaches. U.S. persons with ownership interests in foreign trusts face IRS reporting obligations, including Forms 3520 and 3520-A, that must be coordinated with the broader estate plan. We account for those requirements from the outset.

Our bilingual service in English and Spanish supports clients from across Latin America and the Caribbean who prefer to conduct these conversations in their primary language. Whether your planning involves multi-jurisdictional asset structures or a single cross-border consideration, we bring the same level of thoroughness to every engagement.

Trusts, Wills, Asset Protection & Succession Planning

A well-designed estate plan is a coordinated system, not a set of isolated documents. Each instrument serves a distinct function, and how they work together affects how your plan functions under real-world conditions.

Last Will & Testament
A will directs the distribution of your probate assets and can name guardians for minor children. It takes effect at death and becomes part of the public record through the Florida probate process. Under Florida Statute Section 732.502, a valid will requires the testator’s signature witnessed by two individuals.

Revocable Living Trusts
A revocable living trust allows assets to transfer outside of probate, preserving privacy and enabling faster distribution to beneficiaries. For clients with assets in multiple jurisdictions, a trust structure can simplify administration considerably.

Asset Protection
Domestic asset protection trusts and limited liability entities can shield wealth from future creditors without constituting a fraudulent transfer. We design these structures with both U.S. and applicable international law in view.

Succession Planning
Business ownership transitions require coordination with trust and estate documents to create a unified generational transfer strategy. We work with clients to align succession goals with the broader estate plan so that transitions are orderly and consistent with your intentions.

Take Proactive Steps to Protect Your Assets & Authority

Estate planning isn’t just about preparing for the inevitable. It’s about maintaining control, protecting your family, and preserving your legacy throughout your life. We offer free consultations to review your objectives, assess potential risks, and discuss strategies for incapacity, asset protection, and long-term wealth continuity. Our entire process can be conducted remotely, and we serve clients across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Central America from our Coral Gables base.

Call (786) 882-4122 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.