What is the Florida Probate Process and how long does it take? Background OK, here’s a concise background to the Florida probate process. When a Floridian dies, there are different rules. Why? Because that’s what the legislature says ! Leaving property at death is serious stuff. After all, you are not around any more to tell us what should really happen to your property. So, the “signing” of a will requires witnesses and an entire procedure that must be followed for the will to be valid. See Florida Probate Law 732.502. Otherwise, you may have an objection to will. The rules are different when you are not here. They are different, than, say, during your lifetime, when one makes lifetime gifts. Same for the post-death probate process of dealing with a will or intestacy. It’s serious stuff to get property in the correct hands. And there’s special rules. So, what are these rules? Well, there are two main things to read. The Florida Probate Code is a set of statutes and laws. The Florida Probate Rules are (as you guessed!) a set of rules to guide you through the Florida probate process. To see a short video on how revocable trusts work with a will, click HERE. For info on what out of state beneficiaries and family members may need to know, click HERE. The Florida Probate Process God knows that you could talk for days about the probate process. Will contests, creditor’s claims, prudent investing, duties of a fiduciary. […]

To raise an objection, to object to a will, or file something in a Florida probate, you must be an interested person. And while we have discussed this “weird”, obscure, estate concept previously (click HERE to read more for free), we are going to explain this in 5 easy steps or lessons. Heirs vs. Interested Persons What’s the difference between an “heir” and an “interested person?” To read about Florida heirship for free, click this LEGAL LINK. Heirs inherit the property of a Florida resident who dies without a will. That’s called intestacy. Or “intestate succession.” (For a free Florida video, click here. ) You can also read the legal definition at Fla. Probate Code Section 731. 201 (20). That’s DIFFERENT than an interested person. Yup……………….. the answer to your question that you are thinking about is “yes.” (An heir might not be an interested person). Why Does It Matter ? Well, first of all, you might want to participate in the probate. And, if you are an “heir”, and there is no will, you inherit! (probably !!) There is a special statute on what family members inherit. Actually there are two. See 732.102 and 732.103. Heirs who are a surviving spouse have one statute. Other heirs have another. Think of heirs as the surviving spouse + descendants or “blood” relatives. When you die without a will, that’s called “intestacy.” Think it’s not possible? Think again says Palm Beach probate lawyer John Pankauski. “I can’t tell you how many estates […]

Knowing when you need to “lawyer up” to get your inheritance may be tricky. After all, you have to balance spending money on a Palm Beach probate lawyer vs. going it alone. Is it worth the money? Inheriting from a Florida Probate If you inherit from a Florida probate, you should expect to get your money within a year. After all, estates are supposed to be “expeditiously” administered. (Read Florida probate law 733.602). Find the assets, pay the last expenses, and distribute everyone’s inheritance. But some people want their own lawyer. Their own advocate or pit bull or “firepower” to stand up and fight. Fight for what? Candidly, in some cases, you don’t need to fight. You need the Florida Probate Code explained to you. The process. The Florida Probate Rules can be read for free online. Heck, you can read all about the Florida probate process online for free. You don’t need a Florida probate lawyer for that. But, if there’s a will contest, or some “contested” matters, you may want your own counsel. When do you need your own Florida probate lawyer? First of all, if you trust the person running the estate, why do you need to pay for a lawyer? The personal representative will have her own lawyer and pay for that lawyer from the estate. But many times, information is with-held. Or things are going nowhere. The “PR” is not disclosing information about the assets, the estate, and what she is doing with YOUR money. […]

Many times, a relative passes away in Florida with a lot of out of state beneficiaries. Do you need a Palm Beach Estate lawyer to get your inheritance? Do you even need to come to Florida? The probate process may be easier than you think to get your inheritance. To learn a lot right away, consider reading the Florida Probate Code. The Florida Probate Process Lots of Floridians pass away each year. Often, family members and beneficiaries are located outside of Florida. “Many of my clients do not live in Florida” says John Pankauski, a Palm Beach estate lawyer who helps clients get their inheritance. “The truth is that you really don’t need your own lawyer if you trust the person running the estate.” That’s what they call the “personal representative” in Florida. Sometimes called an “executor” in other states. In truth, you don’t even need to come to Florida to get your inheritance. And you won’t need to if the estate is run correctly. However, if there are objections or “contested” matters, you may need to testify. Whether you can do that from your home via Zoom, or whether you have to come to Florida depends. It all depends on what you want to do, and what the personal representative is doing –or not doing. Who do you trust? The personal representative, or “PR” for short, is supposed to be a fiduciary. She has fiduciary duties to work for the family and beneficiaries. Part of her duties is to […]

Many Floridians are leaving your inheritance in a revocable trust. Here are some steps to help you find a Palm Beach Trust lawyer. You should first consider whether you even need one at all. Why and when? Why do you need a Palm Beach trust lawyer? The truth is that you may not. Confident and experienced trial lawyers will tell you this. Not to be coy or play hard to get. It’s because they have the business and law practice to be upfront with potential clients. And, most will tell you that if you can avoid litigation, you should save a lot of money, time and angst. If you are inheriting from a trust, ask yourself: do you trust your trustee? If your trustee is responsible, attentive and responsive, you probably don’t need a lawyer. However, if you need to understand your rights, or file a trust contest or objection, consider whether you can afford the time and patience needed. After all, trust litigation takes time, is costly, and some people find it anxiety-ridden. Sometimes, people have different interpretations over a trust or want to void a trust amendment. (To read the Florida Trust Code, click here.) Yes, many trust beneficiaries want some so called “fire power”. A pitbull on their side who can explain and advocate for them. But try working things out with your trustee first. She is supposed to give you information about your trust and inheritance. Communicate. Be reasonable. Try to avoid the time and expense […]

The rules of homestead in Florida are complicated. But heirs may have more rights than you realize. You may end up inheriting homestead which is valuable. Don’t worry if you don’t get along with your family co-owners. You can sell the property even if others disagree. File a partition action. Your rights If you inherit part of your mom’s house, and you don’t want to live there, sell it ! And take your inheritance from the sale proceeds. How? Read on…. Any part of a decedent’s estate that does NOT pass by a will, passes according to the laws of intestacy. Intestacy means that someone died without a will. Under the intestacy laws, heirs inherit. Who are heirs? Heirs are those who inherit under the laws of intestacy. Sound circular? Heirs include descendants and the surviving spouse. If there is no surviving spouse, then the descendants inherit. What about homestead? It has its own rules and laws. Inheriting homestead — the “ugly” (confusing) truth Homestead is the one true house of the dead Floridian. You know, that place where she always returned after being away. Sometimes, a Florida resident has multiple residences. But only one homestead. You can inherit by selling it, even if your co-owners don’t want to sell it. And even if they are living in it. So, you can file a petition to determine homestead. Homestead is generally considered OUTSIDE OF PROBATE. And not a probate asset. (Click HERE for commentary about the probate process). Although you […]

Do you know how to make your Florida estate claim? Filing the proper paperwork is crucial. You need to know the difference between filing objections and a creditor’s claim. Florida Estate Claim — the basics When you have a probate, the “executor” or personal representative will “run” or administer the estate. This involves gathering assets, paying the decedent’s last expenses, dealing with the will and beneficiaries, and creditors. There’s a difference between objecting to a will and filing a creditor’s claim. If you are an “interested person” in the Florida probate, you can object to an improper or incomplete accounting, or inventory or petition. Heck, you can even object to a will. You can also object to who is the executor. Yes, you can even object to a creditor’s claim. What is a creditor’s claim? What is a Creditor’s Claim? A creditor’s claim is a statement, or a claim, by someone who is owed something. From the dead person. It might be money. The most common example of this is. The dead person borrowed money from me and I want to get paid back. Or, you could have rights which you want to exercise. Such as rights under a contract, a prenuptial agreement, or an operating agreement for an LLC. Get in the Game There is a whole process to correctly filing your objection or estate claim and getting what you want. A creditor’s claim has an entirely unique process with very short time frames. Not all creditors are created […]

Why do family members fight over the Florida safe deposit box? Here’s 10 things to know about this asset in a Florida probate. (For information about an estate inventory, click HERE.) Finding Treasure? First of all, LOTS of Floridians have a safe deposit box. Yes, even in this day and age of digital currency and home safes. Sometimes they store jewelry, important documents, family heirlooms and other valuables. And………….many times there’s nothing of value there. But, how do you know unless it’s inspected and accounted for? Probate lawyers often deal with safe deposit boxes. Some family members are convinced that mom or dad had gold bars or millions in there. Always read the will first. And see if there are any “memo’s” which dispose of tangible personal property. Note: that memo may NOT deal with the box if they box is a “will substitute” and passes outside of probate. Florida Probates + Safe Deposit Box Second, there is a statute, or law, found in the Florida Probate Code. Section 733.6065 deals with opening them. Third, there’s a whole procedure that should be followed. 4th, you should have witnesses. 5th: (recommended), video tape the opening and contents. 6th, it’s best to get bank employees or dis-interested witnesses to watch this. 7th, the contents should be on the official estate inventory. If they are not, make sure that the personal representative (estate executor) files an amended inventory. 8th, if you suspect foul play, file a motion or a petition. 9th, look for […]

A probate inventory in Florida is not only required. It’s important. Here are 10 things which you need to know if you are a beneficiary, family member, “inheritor” or personal representative. Who knows, maybe you inherit more than meets the eye. What do I need to know? If you are a beneficiary or an “interested person” in a Florida probate, you WANT to know what’s in the estate. (For more on what an interested person is, click that link, or here.) The most common or “easiest” way to do this is to read the probate inventory. The executor or personal representative is required by law to provide an inventory. In fact, she must “verify” it. This means that what she files is based upon her best knowledge. She swears to it. If there is anything missing, or mis-leading, file your objections. Probate Inventory First, an inventory is required by law. See 733.604 of the Probate Code Second, it has to contain a description of property and a value as of the date of death. That means that you don’t have to list every single item of clothing or furniture, but you have to give the reader some idea of what’s there. Third, you can supplement, improve or amend the inventory. This is done when you want to correct something or if new assets are found. Fourth, the inventory is confidential. That means that you won’t see it online when you do a case search at the clerk’s website. You have […]

Where’s your money? Who’s got your inheritance & what happened to all the property? You need an estate accounting. For a Free Florida Accounting Legal Video on this topic, click that link. Otherwise, keep reading to learn more about your rights and what you can do to claim your inheritance. Where’s the money? “They are not telling me anything about my parent’s estate!” Do you know how many family members complain about the probate process? Many times, adult children are entitled to inherit a big part of the estate. But, there’s no information. Someone is either not communicating something, or maybe hiding something. While this discussion is not about probate fraud, you should know what your rights are and how to exercise them. After all, it’s YOUR inheritance, right? The truth is that you don’t have to wait. Either to get information or to start the probate process. If your family member died, you can “open a probate” and find the assets. You don’t have to wait for others to act. Even if there is a will naming someone else as “executor.” Many times, the person named to run the estate sits on their hands. They don’t file the will nor open probate. That’s not fair to beneficiaries or family members. So,……open probate yourself. But, follow the rules ! You have to give notice to certain people. Whether there is a will or not. (If there’s no will, heirs inherit under an “intestate” estate). There is a straightforward procedure for […]