In Florida, intestacy rules can be challenging to understand, especially during a difficult time. When a loved one passes without a will, these laws take effect to guide the distribution of the deceased’s assets. In this blog, we'll break down Florida's intestacy laws...
Estate Administration
What is a personal representative?
If you have any exposure to estate planning or the probate process, you may have heard the term “personal representative.” In the intricate process of probate following a death in Florida, the personal representative is a central figure. These individuals shoulder...
The duties of a personal representative in a Florida probate
One of the important options in preparing a will is the opportunity to nominate an individual to act as the personal representative of the estate after the maker of the will dies. As important as this power may be, very few individuals understand the nature of the...
Four factors when administering an estate with foreign assets
Administering an estate is often more complicated than people realize. You have to inventory the estate, contact creditors, pay debts, handle final expenses, complete accountings, and ensure that assets are properly distributed. Yet, matters can be even more complex...
Considerations when choosing a personal representative
When you create an estate plan, you intend that your wishes will be carried out after your death by the person who is named as the personal representative in your will. There are several factors to consider when choosing this person. Choosing a personal representative...
What is a lady bird deed?
When a person dies, there must be a legal process to determine how to distribute their property. In Florida, this process is called probate. Probate isn't necessarily bad. In fact, it's a necessity in many ways. However, the process can be slow and cumbersome. It can...
What is a living will?
When it comes to setting up an estate plan in Florida, you are probably familiar with some of the more common documents, such as a will or power of attorney. However, you may have heard of something called a living will and wonder what it is and if it is different...
Probate asset inventory and distribution
When a person passes away in Florida and has a will, probate is the legal process that takes place to transfer their assets to their beneficiaries. Beneficiaries are the people or entities the deceased person named in the will. Probate overview The process begins when...
What is a lady bird deed?
You may have heard the term Lady Bird deed and wonder what exactly it is and how it differs from a regular deed. A lady bird deed is a deed with a life estate. It is also sometimes called an enhanced life estate deed. It lets a property owner maintain control of a...
Formal and summary probate administration
Probate is the necessary legal process to distribute the deceased’s property to any beneficiaries named in a will or according to Florida’s intestate succession laws. It can be a long process, but it does not have to be as long as many people think. There are two main...