Practice Area
Estate Administration & Probate
Helping families settle a loved one's estate after a death — handling probate, trust administration, creditor claims, and asset distribution from start to finish.
Why It Matters
When someone dies, their assets do not transfer automatically. Florida requires a court-supervised probate to retitle most assets that were owned solely in the decedent's name. Bank accounts get frozen, the homestead has to be addressed, creditor claims have to be resolved, and the personal representative has fiduciary duties to the heirs.
Trust administration is similar but happens outside the courthouse. The successor trustee has to inventory assets, give beneficiary notices, manage tax filings, and distribute according to the trust terms — all while keeping the family on the same page.
We handle the legal work end to end so the family can focus on grieving, not on filing deadlines and creditor windows.
You may need this if you:
- A loved one passed away owning Florida property in their name alone
- You were named personal representative or successor trustee
- You inherited assets and need them retitled in your name
- There is a will, but no one has filed it with the court
- Creditors are calling and you do not know what to pay or ignore
- There is a dispute among the heirs about distribution
Our Services
What We Handle
Common Questions
Estate Administration & Probate FAQs
Do all estates have to go through probate in Florida?
No. Florida has a summary administration option for smaller estates and for estates where the decedent has been gone more than two years. Assets held in a properly funded trust, or titled with a beneficiary designation or right of survivorship, typically avoid probate altogether.
How long does Florida probate take?
It depends on the size and complexity of the estate, whether there are disputes among heirs, and how quickly creditor claims resolve. A straightforward formal administration often takes several months to a year; complications extend that.
I was named personal representative. What does that actually require of me?
You have fiduciary duties to the estate's beneficiaries and creditors: inventorying assets, giving required notices, paying valid debts, and eventually distributing what's left. Florida requires a personal representative acting without an attorney in most cases to still retain one, so you won't be doing this alone.
What happens to a homestead in probate?
Florida homestead gets special treatment. It generally passes outside the normal probate creditor process to a surviving spouse or heirs, but the rules around devise restrictions and how title passes are specific enough that they usually need their own determination. We file the right petition to establish homestead status as part of the administration.
Prefer to talk it through first?
Give us a call — we’re happy to answer questions before you start your intake.