How Much Does It Cost to Set Up a Miller Trust in Florida?
An elder-law attorney typically charges $1,000–$2,500 to research Florida's Qualified Income Trust requirements and draft the trust — Florida publishes no fill-in form, so drafting happens either way. This $97 guide is the research part: DCF's own requirements, cited clause by clause, so the attorney's fee reflects drafting alone. This guide does not draft the trust or advise on your specific situation — it is informational only, not legal advice.
What an attorney typically charges
An elder-law attorney typically charges $1,000–$2,500 to research Florida's requirements and draft the trust — and because Florida publishes no fill-in form, that research-and-draft work happens either way.
What the $97 guide covers instead
This guide is the research part of that engagement: DCF's own requirements, explained clause by clause and cited to ESS Policy Manual 1840.0110 ("Income Trusts") and 1840.0111 ("Transfer of Income"); Fla. Admin. Code R. 65A-1.701(57) and 65A-1.702(13); federal authority 42 U.S.C. § 1396p(d)(4)(B), so an attorney's fee reflects drafting alone instead of research plus drafting.
When the attorney's fee is worth it anyway: significant assets, prior gifting, a second marriage, or multi-state property. Those are fact-specific questions this guide does not answer — for them, consult a Florida-licensed elder-law attorney regardless of which route you take on the trust itself.
The trust's money and the guide's price are separate
A Florida Miller Trust holds only the applicant's income and pays only for the applicant's own care — it is never used to pay this guide's price or an attorney's fee. Whatever you spend to set the trust up happens outside the trust.
The Florida denial traps that cost families a month of coverage
Most denials are paperwork, not eligibility. This free one-pager lists every DCF denial trap with the citation behind it — emailed now. We'll also send 4 short follow-ups over the next 3 weeks (the bank step, the trustee role, when to call an attorney) — then we stop. No ongoing newsletter.
Common questions
- Is a Miller Trust cheaper than hiring a lawyer in Florida?
- Usually, yes, for the core setup. An elder-law attorney typically charges $1,000–$2,500 for the same work — for complex estates (significant assets, prior gifting, a second marriage, multi-state property), the attorney's fee is worth it regardless of how the trust itself gets set up.
- Does setting up the trust cost money out of the trust itself?
- No. a Florida Miller Trust holds only the applicant's own income and pays only for the applicant's own care. Whatever it costs to set the trust up — an attorney's fee or anything else — is separate from the money that flows through the trust each month.