Estate Planning Attorneys in Bluffton, SC
Six Bluffton-area firms that draw up wills and trusts and handle probate, and where Beaufort County’s probate court sits.
For an estate planning attorney in Bluffton, SC, LawyerLisa, Jolley Law Group and Smith Law list estate planning and elder law as core work, and Mikkelson Law Firm, Butler & College and Regina Banis list estate planning and probate. Probate goes through Beaufort County Probate Court, which has an office on Bluffton Parkway.
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Bluffton Facts for Estate Planning
- An older town
- About 1 in 4 residents inside the town limits is 65 or over, and about 6 in 10 in ZIP 29909, which covers Sun City and Okatie (as of 2024).
- A valid will
- South Carolina requires a will to be in writing, signed by the person making it, and signed by at least two people who witnessed the signing or the acknowledgment (SC Code § 62-2-502).
- Health care power of attorney
- The state publishes a form for a health care power of attorney signed on or after January 1, 2007 (§ 62-5-504).
- Probate in Bluffton
- Beaufort County Probate Court keeps a Bluffton office at 4819 Bluffton Pkwy, third floor of the Myrtle Park building (843-255-5850), open weekdays 8:30 to 4:30 and by appointment. The main court is at 102 Ribaut Rd in Beaufort.
- Six firms
- Six firms with offices in or next to Bluffton list wills, trusts or probate, from Old Town to Okatie.
- Moving here
- Reviewers of Jolley Law Group describe updating documents written in another state after moving to South Carolina, and settling a parent’s estate from out of state.
Estate Planning Attorneys in Bluffton, SC
How we chose these: Bluffton and Okatie law firms whose own websites list wills, trusts, powers of attorney or probate, with an office in or next to town. Each card lists the facts you can check, including where the office is. Ask each firm about fees and a first meeting when you call.
2 Hampton Hall Blvd Ste 100-A, Bluffton, SC 29910
Phone: (843) 757-5294
Estate planning, trusts, probate and life care planning for long-term care, with the Bluffton office serving Hilton Head, Beaufort and Bluffton.
Why it’s listed: A statewide elder law and estate planning firm that merged with Brian Treacy’s Bluffton firm in 2024. Reviewers describe revocable trusts, health care powers of attorney and a checklist that made the paperwork manageable, and some first met the team at an estate planning seminar.
- Where:
- Hampton Hall Blvd, 0.6 mi from Buckwalter Recreation Center and 1.2 mi from Buckwalter Place
- Handles:
- Estate planning, trusts, probate, life care planning, elder law
- Other offices:
- Irmo, Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Aiken and Simpsonville
9 Oak Forest Rd #202, Bluffton, SC 29910
Phone: (843) 781-7131
Estate planning, elder law, estate and trust administration, healthcare law and nonprofits, with a second office in Beaufort.
Why it’s listed: Reviewers describe settling a parent’s estate from out of state, and moving to South Carolina and updating documents written elsewhere to meet state rules, with attorneys who took time to explain each document.
- Where:
- Oak Forest Rd, 0.2 mi from Belfair Towne Village and 2.2 mi from Old Town
- Handles:
- Estate planning, elder law, estate and trust administration, powers of attorney
- Other office:
- Beaufort
200 Okatie Village Dr #103, Bluffton, SC 29909
Phone: (843) 705-4400
Real estate, estate planning, probate, elder law, Medicaid and veterans benefits planning, special needs planning, and personal injury and workers’ comp.
Why it’s listed: The widest list in this group, from closings to nursing home abuse cases. Reviewers describe trusts explained with the pros and cons, probate handled promptly, and clients who first used the firm for a closing years earlier.
- Where:
- Okatie Village Dr, 0.5 mi from Sun City and 1.7 mi from USCB Bluffton campus
- Handles:
- Estate planning, probate, elder law, Medicaid and veterans benefits, special needs, injury, workers’ comp
- Other office:
- Pawleys Island
Bluffton Firms That Also Draw Up Wills and Handle Probate
These three firms are better known for closings or family law, and also list estate planning and probate. A firm that did your closing may already know your property.
214 Bluffton Rd, Bluffton, SC 29910
Phone: (843) 757-9330
Real estate closings, estate planning and probate, from an office near the corner of May River Road and Bluffton Road.
Why it’s listed: Its site says the firm has attorneys with more than 30 years of practice. Reviewers describe first-time buyers and a commercial purchase moving quickly from contract to closing, and agents who say they hear back fast.
- Where:
- Bluffton Rd, 0.1 mi from Old Town and 2.2 mi from Belfair Towne Village
- Handles:
- Real estate closings, estate planning, probate
152 State St Ste 201, Bluffton, SC 29910
Phone: (843) 277-6220
Real estate law for buyers, sellers and builders, plus estate planning and probate, with offices in Bluffton, Summerville and Myrtle Beach.
Why it’s listed: A closing firm with a large body of reviews. Reviewers describe smooth purchases, and several came back for estate planning after a closing because the same office handled both.
- Where:
- State St, 0.6 mi from Old Town and 1.8 mi from Belfair Towne Village
- Handles:
- Real estate law for buyers, sellers and builders; estate planning and probate
181 Bluffton Rd F-202, Bluffton, SC 29910
Phone: (843) 757-5500
Divorce, custody agreements, real estate, estate planning and probate, with Regina Banis a certified family court mediator since 2009.
Why it’s listed: Practicing in South Carolina since 1994, and her own firm since 2007. Reviewers describe being guided through a mother’s estate step by step, and a lawyer who helped with divorce, a real estate matter and a family will over the years.
- Where:
- Bluffton Rd, 0.3 mi from Old Town and 2.1 mi from Belfair Towne Village; serves Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Colleton and Charleston counties
- In practice:
- Since 1994; firm founded 2007
Will Attorney and Trust Attorney in Bluffton
An estate planning lawyer in Bluffton can draw up a will, and a will attorney or trust attorney in Bluffton is usually that same lawyer. LawyerLisa, Jolley Law Group, Smith Law, Mikkelson Law Firm, Butler & College and Regina Banis all list wills, trusts or both. Reviewers of LawyerLisa describe revocable trusts, and reviewers of Smith Law describe trusts explained with the pros and cons.
The state sets the basics for a will: in writing, signed by the person making it, and signed by at least two witnesses (SC Code § 62-2-502). It also publishes a form for the health care power of attorney (§ 62-5-504), the paper that lets someone you name make medical decisions if you cannot. The hospitals and doctors pages list where those decisions would be made.
Probate Attorney in Bluffton, SC
A probate attorney in Bluffton, SC works with Beaufort County Probate Court. The court keeps a Bluffton office at 4819 Bluffton Pkwy, on the third floor of the Myrtle Park building, which opened in August 2024. It is open weekdays 8:30 to 4:30, closed for lunch from noon to 1, and court business is by appointment, so call 843-255-5850 first. The main court is at 102 Ribaut Rd in Beaufort, and there is a satellite office at 539 William Hilton Pkwy on Hilton Head by appointment.
Smith Law, Mikkelson Law Firm, Butler & College, Regina Banis and LawyerLisa list probate, and Jolley Law Group lists estate and trust administration. Reviewers of Regina Banis describe being guided through a mother’s estate step by step.
Elder Law and Long-Term Care Planning
Smith Law lists Medicaid and veterans benefits planning and special needs planning, and LawyerLisa lists life care planning for long-term care. Jolley Law Group lists elder law and healthcare law. Pair this page with senior living, financial advisors and insurance.
Estate Planning Attorney in Okatie, SC and Sun City
For an estate planning attorney in Okatie, SC, Smith Law is on Okatie Village Drive, half a mile from Sun City. Its site lists wills, trusts, probate and elder law. Jolley Law Group and LawyerLisa are east of there on the Bluffton side. For a probate attorney in Okatie, SC, Smith Law lists probate too, and the case goes through the Bluffton office of Beaufort County Probate Court. See Okatie for the town.
Serving Hardeeville and Ridgeland
Looking for an estate planning attorney in Hardeeville or Ridgeland? Smith Law lists Beaufort and Jasper counties and sits about 5 miles from Hardeeville and 13 miles from Ridgeland in a straight line. Regina Banis lists Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Colleton and Charleston counties. See Hardeeville and Ridgeland for the towns themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the estate planning attorneys in Bluffton, SC?
LawyerLisa, Jolley Law Group and Smith Law list estate planning and elder law as core work. Mikkelson Law Firm, Butler & College and Regina Banis list estate planning and probate alongside closings or family law.
Where is the probate court for Bluffton?
Beaufort County Probate Court has an office at 4819 Bluffton Pkwy, third floor of the Myrtle Park building. Call 843-255-5850; court business is by appointment. The main court is at 102 Ribaut Rd in Beaufort.
What makes a will valid in South Carolina?
A will must be in writing, signed by the person making it, and signed by at least two people who witnessed the signing or the acknowledgment (SC Code § 62-2-502).
Which Bluffton firms draw up trusts?
LawyerLisa, Jolley Law Group and Smith Law list trusts and estate planning, and Mikkelson Law Firm and Butler & College list estate planning. Ask each which kind of trust they set up and what it costs.
Is there an estate planning attorney in Okatie or Sun City?
Smith Law is on Okatie Village Drive, 0.5 miles from Sun City, and lists estate planning, probate and elder law.
Who handles probate in Bluffton?
Smith Law, Mikkelson Law Firm, Butler & College, Regina Banis and LawyerLisa list probate, and Jolley Law Group lists estate and trust administration. The case itself goes through Beaufort County Probate Court.
Can a Bluffton firm help with Medicaid or veterans benefits planning?
Smith Law lists Medicaid and veterans benefits planning, and LawyerLisa lists life care planning for long-term care.
Are there estate planning attorneys for Hardeeville and Ridgeland?
Smith Law lists Beaufort and Jasper counties, and Regina Banis lists Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Colleton and Charleston counties, both from Bluffton-area offices.
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