Estate planning, probate & elder law in Fort Lauderdale
Estate planning, probate & elder law in Fort Lauderdale
Home/Elder law
Elder lawAging brings hard questions about care, cost, and control. John Clarke helps South Florida families plan for long-term care, protect a lifetime of savings, and put the right people in charge, with the calm of a former nurse who has sat at the bedside.
Elder law is about keeping control and dignity as you age. John plans ahead so a health crisis does not become a legal and financial one, and so the people you trust can step in when they are needed.
Three steps, with a former nurse who understands both the medicine and the law guiding you through each one.
We start with your family, your health picture, and your finances. No assumptions, no rushing. Just an honest read on what you are facing and what matters most.
Medicaid and long-term care strategy, powers of attorney, health care directives, and the right tools to protect savings and eligibility, all explained in plain language.
Plans need to keep up with health and the law. John updates as things change and steps in for Medicaid applications or guardianship if your family needs it.
As we age, protecting our health, independence, and financial security becomes increasingly important. At Clarke Law, P.A., we help seniors and their families navigate the legal, financial, and health care challenges that often arise later in life. As a former registered nurse, John Clarke brings a rare combination of medical insight and legal skill to this work.
Schedule a free consultationOur elder law services focus on preserving wealth, protecting assets, and making sure your property passes to the people you choose. We assist with estate planning, powers of attorney, trusts, and other strategies designed to avoid unnecessary costs and protect family assets.
The cost of nursing home care and assisted living can quickly deplete a lifetime of savings. We help families understand Florida Medicaid rules and put lawful planning strategies in place that preserve assets while qualifying for long-term care benefits. The key is to plan early and correctly, because the rules around income, assets, and transfers are strict and unforgiving of mistakes.
Our Medicaid planning tools include Qualified Income Trusts (often called Miller Trusts), Personal Services Contracts, caregiver agreements, and more. You can read more about qualifying for Medicaid long-term care and how assets are counted in our articles.
A complete elder law plan makes sure someone you trust can step in if you are ever unable to act for yourself. That usually means a durable power of attorney for finances, along with a designation of health care surrogate and a living will under Florida's Health Care Advance Directives law. Putting these documents in place now spares your family difficult guesswork later.
When someone becomes incapacitated without the right documents in place, the family may have to ask a court to appoint a guardian under Florida's guardianship law. We guide families through that process, and we structure plans that aim to avoid the need for guardianship altogether.
Unfortunately, seniors are sometimes targeted for financial exploitation and abuse by caregivers and others in positions of trust. We represent seniors and their families in litigation involving:
Whether you are planning for the future, seeking Medicaid long-term care benefits, or protecting a loved one from exploitation, we provide experienced guidance tailored to your family's needs. Our elder law services include:
Attorney John Clarke is a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law section of The Florida Bar, and a registered service provider with the Broward County Aging and Disability Resource Center.
Rated 5.0 across 63 verified reviews on Avvo, Google & Thumbtack
“We just completed our revocable trust, living wills and powers of attorney with John Clarke. He made the entire experience so simple; he is very patient, responsive and took the time to answer our questions, and we had so many of them. We had put off creating our trust and will because we thought it would be complicated and expensive. John made it easy to understand and his charges are very reasonable.”
Kenny Luc
Revocable trust, living wills & powers of attorney · via Google
Oct 2026
“I rolled the dice on John Clarke and won. He cares about his clients, gets back in a timely manner and anticipates your needs. Highly recommended for probate actions.”
Ron Kanterman
Probate · via Google
Sep 2026
“I highly recommend this elder law attorney. He was knowledgeable, compassionate, and professional throughout the entire process. He took the time to explain every step clearly, answered all of my questions with patience, and made what could have been a very stressful situation much easier to navigate. His expertise in elder law, Medicaid planning, and estate matters gave my family confidence that we were making the right decisions.”
Nancy Serbellon
Elder law & Medicaid · via Google
Jul 2026
Straight answers for the road ahead.
Sooner is better. The best protections, especially around Medicaid, work best when they are in place well before a crisis. That said, John can still help once care is already needed.
In most cases your Florida homestead is protected while you are alive, but the rules around recovery and eligibility are detailed. John structures things so your home and savings are protected as much as the law allows.
A power of attorney is something you sign in advance to choose who acts for you. Guardianship is a court process used when no plan is in place and someone can no longer decide for themselves. Planning ahead usually avoids guardianship entirely.
Yes. John plans and, when needed, handles the application so care does not wipe out a lifetime of savings, using the strategies Florida law allows.
It is the person you name to make medical decisions if you cannot. Paired with a living will, it makes sure your wishes are followed and your family is not left guessing.
Yes. You reach John himself, not a call center or a junior associate. As a former nurse, he brings real understanding to families during a difficult season.
A dementia diagnosis does not, by itself, mean a parent can no longer sign a power of attorney, a trust or a will. The goal is to preserve the parent's choices, put the right documents in place while the parent can still sign them, and avoid a costly court guardianship when a sound plan will do the job.
Read articleCasey Kasem's family fought in court over his end-of-life care, and the document that settled it was an advance directive he signed years earlier. Here is why incapacity planning matters, and how Florida handles it.
Read articleFlorida Medicaid long-term care applicants must keep countable assets below $2,000, but assets like primary residences and vehicles are exempt.
Read articleHow first-party and third-party special needs trusts let a disabled beneficiary receive support without losing SSI or Medicaid eligibility under federal law.
Read articleFlorida's Medicaid Institutional Care Program asset and income limits, the five-year lookback, gifting penalties, and lawful tools like personal-service contracts to qualify.
Read articleBrowse all elder law articlesTalk to John about long-term care, Medicaid, and the documents your family needs. The first consultation is free, with no pressure to continue.
✓ Free, no-obligation consultation
No call center and no junior associate. You reach John directly. The first consultation is free, and there is no obligation.
Serving clients across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties.
