Estate planning is often pitched to couples with kids, but single adults in Miami arguably need it more. Without a spouse, the default people the law turns to for decisions and inheritance may be relatives you are not close to, or no one obvious at all. This checklist covers what every single Miamian should put in place under Florida law.
1. Understand what happens with no plan
If you die without a will, Florida’s intestacy rules in Chapter 732 decide who inherits. For an unmarried person with no children, that typically means parents, then siblings, then more distant relatives. A close friend, a partner you are not married to, or a favorite charity gets nothing. If you would not pick those default heirs, you need a will.
2. Sign a will that meets Florida formalities
A valid Florida will under section 732.502 must be signed at the end by you and witnessed by two people who sign in your presence and each other’s. Adding a self-proving affidavit before a notary lets the will be admitted to probate without tracking down witnesses years later, which matters in a transient city like Miami where witnesses move.
3. Name a health care surrogate
This is the document single people most often skip and most need. A Florida health care surrogate designation lets the person you choose make medical decisions if you cannot speak for yourself. Without it, a hospital may follow a statutory list of proxies that could land on a parent or sibling you would not have chosen. Pair it with a living will stating your wishes on life-prolonging procedures.
4. Execute a durable power of attorney
A durable POA under Chapter 709 lets a trusted agent handle your finances, pay your Brickell rent or mortgage, and manage accounts if you are incapacitated. Florida POAs take effect on signing, so choose someone you trust completely. Without one, your loved ones may have to petition a Miami-Dade court for guardianship, which is slow, public, and expensive.
5. Update beneficiary designations
Retirement accounts, life insurance, and payable-on-death bank accounts pass by beneficiary form, not by your will. Single people often still list a parent or an ex from years ago. Review every account and name current, intended beneficiaries, plus a contingent beneficiary in case your first choice predeceases you.
6. Consider who handles your remains and pets
Florida lets you designate who controls your funeral and burial arrangements. If you have pets, name a caretaker and consider setting aside funds for them. These small directions spare friends from guessing during a painful week.
7. Address your Miami homestead
If you own your home, Florida’s homestead protection under Article X, Section 4 shields it from most creditors. As a single person without a spouse or minor children, you generally have full freedom to leave your home to whomever you choose, but the property still must pass somehow, often through probate unless you use a Lady Bird deed or trust to transfer it automatically.
Talk to a Florida attorney
Being single means you choose your decision-makers rather than letting a statute choose for you. A licensed Florida estate planning attorney can help you build a will, health care surrogate, and POA that reflect your actual relationships, not a default list.
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Talk it through with Russel Morgan — free 30-minute consult.
For more on our Florida practice, see our overview of estate planning in Boca Raton. Morgan Legal Group's affiliated New York office also handles .
