Florida Probate Administration Lawyer

Attorneys For the Administration of Probate in Florida – Caring and Accomplished Legal Representation

Losing a loved one is difficult, and this can be made even more stressful if that loved one left behind assets to distribute to rightful heirs or debts to resolve. At Statewide Probate , a division of the law firm of McDonald Fleming and DeMaria, de Kozan & White, Attorneys at law, our skilled Probate Administration attorneys handle cases throughout Florida with experience and compassion.  If you find yourself facing the daunting task of administering the estate of another, don’t go it alone.  We are on your side and can take care of the probate process so that you and your family can focus on the important matters that arise following the death of a spouse, parent or other loved one.

What is Probate?

In Florida, probate is the legal system through which certain assets of a deceased person are used to pay off the deceased’s debts, and the remaining assets passed on to the heirs of the deceased person.

A Florida probate can include:

• Proving to the Florida probate court that the deceased person’s will is valid
• Identifying and preparing an inventory of the deceased person’s property
• Determining the value of the deceased person’s property
• Settling any outstanding debts and paying taxes due
• Distributing the remaining property as the will or the law directs
• Attorney and court fees which are typically paid from estate assets

Executors are under no obligation to use for probate, the same law firm that wrote the will. Nearly all probate procedures in Florida involve paperwork drafted and filed by probate lawyers. Unlike some other states, Florida law generally does not allow “do-it-yourself” probate except in some cases involving very small bank accounts, refund checks, or similar assets.

Types of Probate Administration in Florida

The state of Florida has two types of probate administration: formal administration and summary probate.

Formal Probate Administration – The Normal Probate Process

A “formal administration” is the more involved of the two kinds of Florida probate administrations. A formal probate administration requires a minimum of five months to complete, and most take longer.

The following is an over-simplified description:

The process starts with a petition to open the estate and name one or more personal representatives (executors). After that, a Notice to Creditors is published in a local newspaper, and creditors generally have three months in which to file their claims.

Once the period of time for creditor claims has passed, the personal representative can pay the debts (in a certain order) and distribute the remaining estate. Once everything has been distributed, a petition for discharge is filed, and the Florida estate is closed.

While this may sound simple, probate is a fairly complex system of required and optional tasks by the personal representative, the attorney and sometimes a tax consultant (often a CPA). Of course, the simpler the assets and the deceased’s plan of distribution, the simpler the Florida probate will be.

A single house and bank account left to a single beneficiary will no doubt be easier to administer than houses in four states split among 13 beneficiaries, some of whom are minors.

“Summary” Probate Process For Small Estates

The state also provides a “short form” of probate for certain smaller or older estates, which is quicker and cheaper than the “formal administration” used for most Florida probate administrations.

Summary probate administration is available for estates with “non-exempt” property of less than $75,000. The value of “homestead” real property is not counted in totaling the value of the estate.  Summary administration can also be used in any size estate if the deceased has been dead for more than two years. Summary administration does not work in certain cases, such as those with minor or missing heirs, or where the assets or debts of the deceased are unknown.

Get a Free Consultation From Our Florida Probate Administration Lawyers

Whether you are dealing with formal probate administration or summary probate administration in Florida, Statewide Probate can help. For a free probate consultation, contact the Florida estate and probate attorneys at Statewide Probate , a division of the law firm McDonald Fleming and DeMaria, de Kozan & White, Attorneys At Law. We serve clients from Pensacola, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Sarasota, West Palm Beach, and throughout the state.