One purpose of estate planning is to avoid probate, but sometimes probate is unavoidable.  It may take some time until the executor is legally able to distribute assets.  How will the executor go about managing assets during probate? Executor Duties During Probate An estate executor, also known as a personal representative, is charged with settling and...

Legal documents are sometimes invalidated because they were signed incorrectly, not dated, not notarized, or not signed at all. Meeting legal requirements is especially critical when it comes to your Last Will and Testament. After all, people may not learn a Will is deficient until it is too late to have the testator re-do the document....

Most of us want to leave as much of our property to our families as possible. But in many cases after someone passes away, they leave behind debts that must be paid, too. Many states, including Florida, have enacted laws to protect certain property. While developing your estate plan, take time to find out if you...

When someone dies without leaving a valid Last Will and Testament, they are referred to as being “intestate.” But dying without a Will doesn’t mean there’s no estate to distribute to appropriate parties. It just means there’s no document stating how to do it. If there’s no Will, Florida law still provides a way to settle...

Probate advantages exist!  The most commonly held notion about probate is that it is a negative and difficult process that should always be avoided if possible. This misconception is an oversimplification of the truth that does not account for certain aspects of probate that may be desirable under certain circumstances. THE PROS AND CONS OF PROBATE...

For many people, Florida probate is an intimidating concept that they need to deal with at one of the worst times in their life, just after a loved one has passed away.  The probate process is set up to identify assets of a person after they have died so that they can be used to pay...