Florida uses the phrase “personal representative” to refer to someone who accepts the duty of distributing an inheritance to heirs and beneficiaries on behalf of a decedent. This person’s name would be listed in the decedent’s last will and testament. A more common...
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Probate Administration
Florida laws regarding a last will and testament
Every state has its own estate planning laws. Sometimes, laws in several states may be relevant to a specific estate, such as if a Florida resident is executing an estate plan but owns several properties in other states or countries. One of the most common documents...
Court rules on Aretha Franklin estate planning document
For the past five years, fans of soul-singing icon Aretha Franklin in Florida and across the country have been following news regarding her sons battling it out in court over her estate. Several estate planning documents had been found following the singer’s death....
Are you an executor? Does the estate need to go through probate?
Probate is a process where a will is filed with the court system. This begins the process of administering a decedent's estate. The process of closing the estate is overseen by the court so that the estate is handled appropriately.When a person passes away, the first...
Here are 4 fast facts to know about probate administration
Your loved one passed away, and you expected you might be the executor. They never talked about it with you, and you never had to help them in that way during life. You were not surprised, though, when you were informed that you had the role.Now, you need to figure...
Posting bond is a part of the probate process
Probate is a process during which a court authenticates a will. It's at this point that an executor or personal representative of the estate is established and appointed, which is important to know if that role will some day become yours.As an executor, there are many...
If your beneficiary dies, probate could take longer
If you're leaving assets behind for your loved ones after you pass away, one thing you need to think about is what happens if a beneficiary passes away before they receive an inheritance. For example, if you pass away and your property has to go through probate, it...
Does your estate qualify for summary administration?
When you hear people talking about probate, you probably hear that they are not happy about it. That is because probate is a court-supervised process for gathering and identifying assets belonging to a deceased person, and it can be frustrating. This same process is...
What is the process for probating a will?
Probate is simply a court-supervised process that authenticates a last will and testament. The probate process makes sure to locate the decedent's assets, to pay final taxes and debts and to distribute any remaining assets to the beneficiaries.The process of probating...
What are some things estate administrators do?
Being appointed to administer an estate may feel overwhelming. It's a large task, but your attorney can guide you through the process if you take the time to ask.When your loved one dies, their estate will need to be collected, managed and then distributed to those...