If the decedent did not have a valid Will, the surviving spouse has the first right to be appointed by the judge to serve as a personal representative.
Formal administration is required for any estate with non-exempt assets valued at over $75,000 when a decedent died less than two years ago. Formal administration is also required any time that a personal representative is needed to settle the affairs of the decedent.
ALTHOUGH YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY FOR CERTAIN PROBATE PROCEEDINGS, ONLY AN ATTORNEY CAN GIVE LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU CHOOSE TO PROCEED WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY, AT ANY TIME IN YOUR CASE YOU MAY OPT TO HIRE ONE.
How do you become executor of an estate after death in Florida? To become an executor, the decedent must name you in their will. If there's no will, or it doesn't name an executor, a Florida probate court appoints one selected by the beneficiaries if there is no surviving spouse.
The personal representative will settle the estate's affairs by paying debts and taxes owed, locating and appraising all assets, and meeting all court deadlines. At the end of probate, the judge will distribute the estate's assets based on state law, since there is no will to provide instructions.
What Assets Avoid Probate in Florida? Revocable Trusts. Designated Beneficiaries. Transfer on Death Accounts. Joint Retirement Accounts. Tenancy By Entireties. Florida Homestead. Furniture and Appliances. Vehicles.
Florida generally has two different types of probate - one is easy, one is much more complicated - and probate can take 5-8 months under most scenarios. Some estates won't need to go through formal probate at all. If a deceased person had no assets in their own, individual name, then no probate is required.
Estate size plays a major role in determining which kind of court administration is required after someone passes away. In FL, estates worth $75,000 or more, where the decedent died within the last two years, must go through formal probate proceedings, but there's a lot that goes into this calculation.