Helping You Deal With Probate In Florida
After the loss of a loved one, the estate must be distributed to the intended beneficiaries. The beneficiaries will receive this property according to any estate planning documents that the deceased had in place prior to passing, and if no such documents existed, they will receive it according to Florida’s intestacy laws.
The process of collecting an estate, paying off the estate’s debts and transferring the remaining assets to those entitled is called probate. Probate is often very frustrating to many families, as it can be a very lengthy ordeal. It is important to have an experienced lawyer working with you to ensure that things are handled correctly at each stage.
At the law firm of Daniel W. Uhlfelder, P.A., in Santa Rosa Beach, our attorney has more than 25 years of legal experience working with complex legal issues. He and his staff will work together with you to put you in a position to go through the probate process as efficiently as possible. To get started with a free consultation, you can reach out online or call 850-909-2225.
Three Things Every Executor Should Know
Most people who serve as executors have never done so before. If you were asked to administer a loved one’s estate, you might be worried about everything you don’t know. Here are several important tips to guide your work:
Tip 1: Don’t make big financial decisions right away.
Before you start selling estate assets to pay creditors, work to gain a more complete understanding of estate assets and liabilities. As the executor, you have a fiduciary duty, which means you are legally obligated to act in the best interests of the estate. Even well-meaning decisions could breach that duty, so take the time you need to get a “lay of the land.”
Tip 2: Know where all important documents are and go through everything.
Many future estate executors learn about their appointment while the estate’s owner is still living. That gives them time to have discussions about where important documents are kept and how they can access them after their loved one’s passing. Please do this work now, if you can. If your loved one has already passed, take the time to find all these documents and read them carefully before handling other procedures.
Tip 3: Consulting an attorney is a necessary and worthwhile investment.
Unless the estate is very small, you generally need to hire a lawyer for the probate process in Florida. Even in cases where it is not required, it is wise to consult an attorney. It tends to make probate and estate administration faster and easier than doing it yourself, and it greatly reduces your risk of mistakes that could result in personal liability.
Helping In-State Or Out-Of-State Clients
If your loved one had property in Florida, whether that be a second home or other substantial assets in the state, it is likely that you will need to go through probate here in order to distribute the assets according to his or her final wishes.
We assist those who live or visit the Florida Panhandle as well as those living out of state who have issues that need to be resolved. We help you deal with any of the concerns involving probate, including:
- Gathering all the assets of an estate
- Paying the debts owed by the estate
- Administering trusts connected to the estate
- Litigating disputes concerning probate
The probate process is tedious and can take a long time to complete, and things can be even more complex and frustrating when someone dies without a will (known as dying intestate). Proper estate planning can minimize or even eliminate the probate process, and it safeguards against having to administer an intestate estate. Our law firm can help with designing and implementing an efficient estate plan that will minimize or eliminate the probate process. We also can assist the personal representative with the probate process of carrying out your loved one’s estate plan.
Contact Us For More Information
To discuss your specific probate concerns with our attorney, please call 850-909-2225 or send us an email to arrange your free consultation.