If you’re building wealth in Mobile—whether through a successful business, professional career, maritime industry work, or family inheritance—you need an estate plan that protects what you’ve built. I’m Jerry Taylor, an estate planning and asset protection attorney with more than 30 years of experience serving families and business owners across Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. And here’s what makes working with me convenient: you don’t have to drive across the bay or take time off work. All my consultations happen by phone or video, wherever you are in Mobile County.
Why Mobile Families Trust Jerry Taylor for Estate Planning
Mobile is a town of builders—literally and figuratively. We have Airbus manufacturing, the Port of Mobile driving billions in commerce, military families at the Coast Guard station and Naval Base, professionals from the University of South Alabama medical community, and shipbuilding heritage that runs deep in our DNA. Whether you’ve built a business, accumulated real estate, managed investments, or you’re the beneficiary of a family estate, you need someone who understands Alabama law and the specific challenges that face Mobile families.
That’s where I come in. For over three decades, I’ve helped clients in Mobile and surrounding areas—Prichard, Saraland, Chickasaw, Theodore, Semmes, Tillmans Corner, and throughout west Mobile County—create estate plans that work. Plans that protect your assets during your lifetime, minimize taxes, avoid probate when possible, and ensure your family knows exactly what you want when you’re gone.
What I Do: Estate Planning & Asset Protection
Comprehensive Estate Planning
A real estate plan goes far beyond a will. It includes:
- Wills and Testamentary Documents: Properly drafted to comply with Alabama probate law and reflect your exact wishes
- Trusts: Revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, and specialized trusts designed to avoid probate, minimize estate taxes, and protect assets
- Powers of Attorney: Financial and healthcare powers of attorney so trusted people can act on your behalf if you become incapacitated
- Advance Directives and Healthcare Documents: Including living wills and HIPAA authorizations so your medical wishes are honored
- Beneficiary Designations: Coordination of insurance, retirement accounts, and investment accounts with your overall plan
Alabama follows the Uniform Probate Code for much of its estate and probate law (Title 43, Chapter 8 of the Alabama Code). I use this to our advantage, creating plans that minimize court involvement, reduce probate costs, and get assets to your beneficiaries faster.
Asset Protection
Building wealth is hard. Protecting it shouldn’t be complicated. I help clients structure their assets to shield them from creditors, litigation, and unnecessary taxes. This is especially important if you own a business, manage substantial real estate holdings, or work in a high-liability profession. Asset protection planning done right—during your lifetime—can save your family hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Learn more about my asset protection services.
Elder Law & Long-Term Care Planning
What happens if you need nursing home care or assisted living? How do you protect your assets while qualifying for Medicaid? These are questions my clients in Mobile face every day. I help families navigate Medicaid planning, long-term care insurance, and elder law issues with compassion and clarity.
More information: Elder Law Services
Complex Personal Injury & Settlement Protection
If you’ve received a significant personal injury settlement, structured settlement, or judgment award, you need a plan to protect and manage those funds. I work with clients to structure settlements tax-efficiently and ensure that awards work for their families long-term.
Details: Complex Personal Injury Planning
Why Your Location Shouldn’t Slow You Down
One reason people put off estate planning is inconvenience. If you’re in Prichard or Chickasaw, driving across the bay to meet an attorney takes time you don’t have. I work exclusively by phone and video consultation. Whether you’re at home, at your office in downtown Mobile, or anywhere in Baldwin County, we can have a detailed, productive meeting without you leaving your desk. I’ll send documents electronically, we’ll review them on a secure video call, and I’ll coordinate everything with you online.
That convenience has never meant less attention to detail or less experience. Every client gets the same thoughtful, thorough representation I’ve been providing for 30+ years.
Local Expertise, Multi-State License
I’m licensed to practice in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. That’s a real advantage if you have property, family, or business interests in more than one state. I can handle cross-state estate planning, coordinate multi-state trust administration, and help you avoid probate in multiple jurisdictions.
And I know Mobile County specifically. I understand the demographics of our community—the maritime workers, the military families, the business owners, the medical professionals, and the retirees who call the Gulf Coast home. That knowledge shapes better plans.
Understanding Alabama Probate Law
Alabama’s probate system is governed by Title 43, Chapter 8 of the Alabama Code, which incorporates much of the Uniform Probate Code. Here are some key points that affect your planning:
- Small Estate Threshold: If your estate is under $25,000 (and you have no real property), it may qualify for simplified administration, which is faster and less expensive than full probate.
- Probate Court: Estates in Mobile County are handled by the Mobile County Probate Court. The judge and staff are professional, but the process still takes time and costs money—which is why probate avoidance strategies matter.
- Spousal Elective Share: Alabama law gives your surviving spouse certain rights regardless of what your will says. Understanding these rights is crucial for married couples.
- Community Property Rules: Alabama is not a community property state, but understanding marital property rights is still essential for estate planning.
- Trust Administration: Revocable living trusts—properly funded and maintained—can keep your estate out of probate entirely and maintain privacy for your beneficiaries.
All of these rules can work for or against you, depending on how your plan is structured. That’s why professional guidance matters.
Who I Help
My clients include:
- Business owners and entrepreneurs building valuable companies
- Professionals in medicine, law, engineering, and other high-liability fields
- Port and maritime industry workers
- Military families and retirees
- Real estate investors and property owners
- Families with modest estates who want to keep probate costs down
- Second-marriage families with complex blended family situations
- Parents and grandparents concerned about protecting assets for the next generation
- Anyone who’s inherited wealth or received a substantial settlement
If you’re in Mobile, Baldwin County, or surrounding areas and you’re thinking about estate planning—or you already have a will or trust that needs updating—I can help.
My Approach
Estate planning isn’t one-size-fits-all. In our first consultation, I listen. I ask questions about your family, your assets, your concerns, and your goals. Then I explain Alabama law in plain English and present options. You decide what makes sense for your situation. I document it properly and make sure everything is coordinated—beneficiary designations, deed transfers, trust funding, all of it working together.
And it doesn’t stop at the signing. If your circumstances change—you marry, divorce, move, buy property, have children or grandchildren, sell a business—your plan needs to adapt. I’m here to update it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need an estate plan if I don’t have a lot of money?
Yes. An estate plan is about more than money. It includes decisions about who makes medical decisions if you can’t, who raises your minor children, and how your assets (no matter the size) get distributed. If you have any assets, any dependents, or any wishes about your healthcare, you need at least a will, financial power of attorney, and healthcare power of attorney. Many of my clients are surprised at how affordable this is.
Will I have to go to probate if I have a will?
Probably. A will alone doesn’t avoid probate in Alabama—it just tells the court what you want to happen. If you want to avoid probate, we typically recommend a revocable living trust combined with a “pour-over” will. Assets in the trust skip probate entirely and go directly to your beneficiaries. This is faster, more private, and usually less expensive than probate.
What if I own property in Florida or Mississippi too?
That’s where my multi-state license is valuable. Without proper planning, you could end up in probate in multiple states—a nightmare for your family. We can structure your estate plan to minimize or eliminate multi-state probate, and I can coordinate with attorneys in other states if needed. It’s much easier to plan for this now than to have your family deal with it later.
If I create a revocable living trust, will I lose control of my assets?
No. A revocable living trust is set up with you as the trustee. You control your assets exactly as you do now. You can buy, sell, spend, and manage everything during your lifetime. The trust only becomes irrevocable after you pass away, at which point the successor trustee (someone you’ve named) manages it according to your instructions. You have complete control while you’re alive and able.
How much does an estate plan cost?
That depends on the complexity of your situation. A basic estate plan—will, powers of attorney, and healthcare documents—costs significantly less than a comprehensive trust-based plan with asset protection strategies. I’m transparent about fees, and I’ll discuss costs before we start work. Most of my clients tell me it’s the best money they’ve spent.
Let’s Get Started
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you call. You just need to be ready to start protecting your family and assets. Give me a call at 251-517-7507 or email jerry@jerrytaylorlaw.com to schedule your initial consultation. We’ll talk by phone or video at a time that works for you—no drive across the bay required.
For more information about specific services, visit:
- Estate Planning Services
- Asset Protection Planning
- Elder Law Services
- Complex Personal Injury & Settlement Planning
Jerry Taylor Law
Estate Planning & Asset Protection Attorney
Licensed in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi
Phone: 251-517-7507
Email: jerry@jerrytaylorlaw.com
Website: jerrytaylorlaw.com
Serving Mobile, Baldwin County, and the surrounding areas including Prichard, Saraland, Chickasaw, Theodore, Semmes, and Tillmans Corner.