There For You, Every Step of the Way

Probate is a necessary court-supervised legal process used for the verification and administration of an individual’s assets after death with or without a will. The probate process is not a one size fits all, but rather, may occur in different ways depending upon the location, type or probate required. The probate process can be time-consuming, expensive, public, and overwhelming. It is highly recommended that one use an experienced attorney who is familiar with probate administration to determine you and your loved one’s rights. All estates do not go through probate in Florida. If a loved one passes away without a will or trust and has assets in their name ONLY, then probate is required to distribute property and monies. If property, bank accounts, insurance policies, annuities, 401K plans, and all assets have beneficiaries or joint owners, probate is probably unnecessary. However, without a will or trust, all assets must pass through probate court if no beneficiary or joint owner with right of survivorship is named.