Many Florida property owners wonder if they can save money by naming themselves, their LLC, or even family and friends as trustee of their land trust. While it may seem convenient, Attorney Joe Seagle warns that these “shortcuts” often create far greater risks. Serving as your own trustee destroys your anonymity, ties your name to public records, doubles your liability, and makes you an easy lawsuit target. Putting family or friends in charge can be just as risky—leading to conflicts of interest, costly mistakes, or situations where a trustee dies, disappears, or refuses to act. Even out-of-state attorneys or companies present dangers, as they often lack Florida-specific knowledge, charge unnecessary fees, and may leave your trust invalid or vulnerable.
The safest and smartest solution is using a reputable, third-party trustee with Florida expertise. At MyLandTrustee, Joe and his team of attorneys—who literally helped write the state statutes on land trusts and co-authored Land Trusts in Florida—have decades of experience managing thousands of properties. A professional trustee ensures your privacy is protected, your assets are shielded, and your trust is handled with integrity. As Joe explains, being your own trustee or relying on family, friends, or out-of-state providers is “penny wise, pound foolish.” A properly managed Florida Land Trust with a trusted third-party trustee like MyLandTrustee gives you peace of mind and long-term protection.
👉 Watch the full episode to learn how to safeguard your Florida real estate with confidence.
Show Transcript:
People often ask me, “Why can’t I just use my own LLC as my trustee? Or why can’t I just be my own trustee?” I’m Joe Seagle, your real estate asset protection attorney here in Orlando, Florida, and I hear this question all the time. Usually, it comes from people who are trying to save money on their land trust or who worked with attorneys unfamiliar with land trusts—sometimes even attorneys not licensed in Florida or outside companies that aren’t lawyers at all. Unfortunately, those shortcuts often cost people far more in the long run. At MyLandTrustee, we’ve been in business for decades. We’re the oldest and largest land trust company in Florida, and we literally helped write the statutes and co-authored the book Land Trusts in Florida (landtrustbook.com).
Yes, you can technically be your own trustee or use an LLC in Wyoming or Delaware. But here’s the danger: being “too anonymous” makes it impossible for tenants, lenders, or even law enforcement to know who truly owns a property. This creates opportunities for fraudsters who can impersonate owners, collect deposits, or even take out fake mortgages. On the other hand, if you name yourself, family, or friends as trustee, you lose anonymity, double your liability, and risk conflicts of interest—or worse, betrayal. I’ve seen it all: parents dragged into federal lawsuits, friends secretly deeding property to themselves, and heirs tied up in battles because there was no successor trustee. The solution is simple: use a reputable third-party trustee. At MyLandTrustee, we manage thousands of properties, operate under Florida law, and protect your assets with the highest level of professionalism. Saving a few dollars by cutting corners is “penny wise and pound foolish.” Protect your property the right way—visit mylantrustee.com, email hello@mylantrustee.com, or call us today.
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