What is Probate?

When an individual dies in Florida or while owning real property in Florida, probate is the procedure used to transfer his or her assets to the proper heirs.

Probate administration can be expensive.  Attorneys are allowed by statute to charge up to three percent of the gross value of the estate, and often charge more.  The personal representative must often get court approval for any extraordinary actions taken, this necessarily increases the attorney’s involvement thus increasing the fees to the estate. Also, the personal representative is entitled to a fee for their services. Additionally, probate administration can take a long time. Probate administration can take from a few months to several years.  Through proper planning, probate is avoidable.

To learn more, see Probate and Probate Avoidance.

Are you interested in learning how to avoid probate?