The Probate Process in the State of Florida
Whether you have been named the personal representative of an estate in the decedent’s will or you are an interested party of an estate without a will, you are going to require the instruction of a probate attorney to avoid the pitfalls that are inherent in Florida probate:
- Determining whether the estate qualifies for summary administration (a much simpler and shorter procedure for small estates)or must undergo formal administration proceedings
- Assisting the personal representative in admitting the will to the probate court
- Identifying, inventorying, and valuing probate assets
- Identifying and notifying creditors
- Assisting the personal representative in validating and paying outstanding credit claims
- Determining the optimal valuation date for the minimization of estate taxes
- Paying taxes to the Internal Revenue Service
- Determining the correct beneficiaries and their entitlement to the estate’s assets
- Distributing the assets to the estate’s beneficiaries
- Closing the estate probate process
Florida Attorney for Out-of-State (Foreign) Probate Proceedings Involving Florida Real Estate
It is not uncommon for an estate that is being probated somewhere else in the country to include real property in Florida. In situations like these, an ancillary proceeding must be filed in a Florida probate court to transfer the property to the main estate for distribution. Attorney Paul M. Kade is also an experienced real estate attorney and can assist out-of state practitioners in opening and administering ancillary probate proceedings to distribute Florida properties in in probate proceedings elsewhere in the United States and abroad.
Professional Probate Lawyer in Manatee and Sarasota Counties
Being named the personal representative of an estate is a tremendous undertaking that requires the experience of a seasoned Florida probate lawyer. If you have been named the personal representative of an estate in the last will and testament, or you wish to preside over an estate where no personal representative has been named, your first call should be to Paul M. Kade. Mr. Kade has been serving the residents of Venice, Sarasota, Port Charlotte, and other Gulf Coast communities for over 30 years. Allow him to provide you with the advice and guidance that you need for the challenges that lie ahead.
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