Susan M. Charles

Susan M. Charles, J.D., LL.M. (Elder Law)

Attorney Susan Charles practices from offices located in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties, Florida. She provides comprehensive legal services for those who need assistance with Probate/Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Estate Planning for Non-Traditional Families, Estate Planning for Blended Families, Medicaid Planning/Nursing Home Qualification, Wills, Trusts, Special Needs Trusts, Trust Administration, and Probate/Estate Administration.

A King-O'Neal Scholar, Susan graduated first in her undergraduate class, receiving her Bachelor's Degree Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Florida Honors College in 2002. She received her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Stetson University College of Law in 2004, and received her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Elder Law from Stetson University College of Law in 2008. Susan Charles is one of only a handful of attorneys in the United States to have earned the prestigious LL.M. in Elder Law. She is licensed to practice law in Florida and in the District of Columbia.

Professional and Community Involvement

Susan is a member of several professional associations, including the Florida Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, the American Bar Association, the St. Petersburg Bar Association, the St. Petersburg Bar Foundation, the Clearwater Bar Association, the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and the Pinellas County Estate Planning Council.

She is active in the community, serving as an advisor to the board of Suncoast Voices for Children Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting abused and neglected children through the Guardian Ad Litem Program in Pinellas and Pasco counties. She is also an active member of the Professional Advisors Committee of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Tampa Bay.

Committed to Educating Others

Susan's primary practice areas are estate planning, probate, Medicaid nursing home planning, guardianship, and other elder law issues. She provides free seminars to educate the public about the estate planning options available in Florida, explaining the pros and cons of each estate planning strategy, as well as the associated costs and tax ramifications. Her seminars also include discussion of estate taxes and asset protection methods, as well as the most common mistakes the elder community makes when planning asset protection and probate avoidance without the professional oversight of competent legal counsel. See her upcoming seminars in the Tampa Bay area.

Susan lives in Largo, Florida with her husband, Bob Charles, and their children, Robert and Hannah.