Do I have to go through probate for estate of only $60,000.00 in Florida?
Full Question:
My mother died in 1999 and my Father just passed in January, 2017. His estate only consists of a bank account containing $40,000.00, a car valued at $4,000.00 and person property. The total value is only around $60,000.00. He did leave a Will leaving everything to me. Do I have to go through probate? If not what is the procedure in Florida I need to follow?
02/08/2017 |
Category: Wills and Es... ยป Small Estates |
State: Florida |
#31801
Answer:
You have the option under this law to administer the estate as a full probate or take advantage of the small estates law. If the property is exempt under Florida law you do not even need to follow this procedure. Instead you follow the procedure allowing an affidavit.
Here are some important steps for administration of small estates in Florida.
- A Petition for Summary Administration can be filed by any beneficiary or the person representative named in the Will.
- If there is a surviving spouse the spouse must also sign the Petition, as well as any beneficiaries under the Will with some exceptions.
- A summary administration can be filed even if a formal administration has been begun and then realized that a summary administration applies.
- After the Petition is filed the Will is probated.
- Prior to entry of the order of summary administration, your are required to make a diligent search and reasonable inquiry for any known or reasonably ascertainable creditors, serve a copy of the petition on those creditors, and make provision for payment for those creditors to the extent that assets are available.
- The court may enter an order of summary administration allowing immediate distribution of the assets to the persons entitled to them.
- The order has the following effect:
- After the order is signed the beneficiaries are be entitled to receive their share of the estate.
- Companies and people holding property of the deceased shall deliver the property to the persons to receive same as provided in the order.
- Beneficiaries who receive property can transfer to a third party and the third party takes title free of any and all liens.
- Property that is given to a beneficiary that is not exempt property remains continues to be liable for claims against the decedent until barred.
- If a creditor did not receive notice and the creditor files to enforce the claim the creditor can collect attorney fees.
- Except for exempt property, the beneficiaries who receive property are personally liable for a pro rata share of all lawful claims against the estate of the decedent to the value of the property they received.
- After 2 years from the date of death all claims are barred unless an action have been filed by the creditor.
- If any heir or devisee of the decedent who should have received a share of the estate but who was not included in the order of summary administration can sue and if successful be awarded attorney fees.
- Any person who has obtained an order of summary administration may publish a notice to creditors according to the relevant requirements of s. 733.2121, notifying all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent that an order of summary administration has been entered by the court. The notice shall specify the total value of the estate and the names and addresses of those to whom it has been assigned by the order. If proof of publication of the notice is filed with the court, all claims and demands of creditors against the estate of the decedent who are not known or are not reasonably ascertainable shall be forever barred unless the claims and demands are filed with the court within 3 months after the first publication of the notice.
735.201 Summary administration; nature of proceedings.—Summary administration may be had in the administration of either a resident or nonresident decedent’s estate, when it appears:
(1) In a testate estate, that the decedent’s will does not direct administration as required by chapter 733.
(2) That the value of the entire estate subject to administration in this state, less the value of property exempt from the claims of creditors, does not exceed $75,000 or that the decedent has been dead for more than 2 years.
(2) That the value of the entire estate subject to administration in this state, less the value of property exempt from the claims of creditors, does not exceed $75,000 or that the decedent has been dead for more than 2 years.
735.202 May be administered in the same manner as other estates.—The estate may be administered in the same manner as the administration of any other estate, or it may be administered as provided in this part.
735.203 Petition for summary administration.—
(1) A petition for summary administration may be filed by any beneficiary or person nominated as personal representative in the decedent’s will offered for probate. The petition must be signed and verified by the surviving spouse, if any, and any beneficiaries except that the joinder in a petition for summary administration is not required of a beneficiary who will receive a full distributive share under the proposed distribution. However, formal notice of the petition must be served on a beneficiary not joining in the petition.
(2) If a person named in subsection (1) has died, is incapacitated, or is a minor, or has conveyed or transferred all interest in the property of the estate, then, as to that person, the petition must be signed and verified by:
(2) If a person named in subsection (1) has died, is incapacitated, or is a minor, or has conveyed or transferred all interest in the property of the estate, then, as to that person, the petition must be signed and verified by:
(a) The personal representative, if any, of a deceased person or, if none, the surviving spouse, if any, and the beneficiaries;
(b) The guardian of an incapacitated person or a minor; or
(c) The grantee or transferee of any of them shall be authorized to sign and verify the petition instead of the beneficiary or surviving spouse.
(b) The guardian of an incapacitated person or a minor; or
(c) The grantee or transferee of any of them shall be authorized to sign and verify the petition instead of the beneficiary or surviving spouse.
(3) If each trustee of a trust that is a beneficiary of the estate of the deceased person is also a petitioner, formal notice of the petition for summary administration shall be served on each qualified beneficiary of the trust as defined in s. 736.0103 unless joinder in, or consent to, the petition is obtained from each qualified beneficiary of the trust.
735.2055 Filing of petition.—The petition for summary administration may be filed at any stage of the administration of an estate if it appears that at the time of filing the estate would qualify.
735.206 Summary administration distribution.—
(1) Upon the filing of the petition for summary administration, the will, if any, shall be proved in accordance with chapter 733 and be admitted to probate.
(2) Prior to entry of the order of summary administration, the petitioner shall make a diligent search and reasonable inquiry for any known or reasonably ascertainable creditors, serve a copy of the petition on those creditors, and make provision for payment for those creditors to the extent that assets are available.
(3) The court may enter an order of summary administration allowing immediate distribution of the assets to the persons entitled to them.
(4) The order of summary administration and distribution so entered shall have the following effect:
(2) Prior to entry of the order of summary administration, the petitioner shall make a diligent search and reasonable inquiry for any known or reasonably ascertainable creditors, serve a copy of the petition on those creditors, and make provision for payment for those creditors to the extent that assets are available.
(3) The court may enter an order of summary administration allowing immediate distribution of the assets to the persons entitled to them.
(4) The order of summary administration and distribution so entered shall have the following effect:
(a) Those to whom specified parts of the decedent’s estate, including exempt property, are assigned by the order shall be entitled to receive and collect the parts and to have the parts transferred to them. They may maintain actions to enforce the right.
(b) Debtors of the decedent, those holding property of the decedent, and those with whom securities or other property of the decedent are registered are authorized and empowered to comply with the order by paying, delivering, or transferring to those specified in the order the parts of the decedent’s estate assigned to them by the order, and the persons so paying, delivering, or transferring shall not be accountable to anyone else for the property.
(c) After the entry of the order, bona fide purchasers for value from those to whom property of the decedent may be assigned by the order shall take the property free of all claims of creditors of the decedent and all rights of the surviving spouse and all other beneficiaries.
(d) Property of the decedent that is not exempt from claims of creditors and that remains in the hands of those to whom it may be assigned by the order shall continue to be liable for claims against the decedent until barred as provided in the code. Any known or reasonably ascertainable creditor who did not receive notice and for whom provision for payment was not made may enforce the claim and, if the creditor prevails, shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees as an element of costs against those who joined in the petition.
(e) The recipients of the decedent’s property under the order of summary administration shall be personally liable for a pro rata share of all lawful claims against the estate of the decedent, but only to the extent of the value of the estate of the decedent actually received by each recipient, exclusive of the property exempt from claims of creditors under the constitution and statutes of Florida.
(f) After 2 years from the death of the decedent, neither the decedent’s estate nor those to whom it may be assigned shall be liable for any claim against the decedent, unless proceedings have been taken for the enforcement of the claim.
(g) Any heir or devisee of the decedent who was lawfully entitled to share in the estate but who was not included in the order of summary administration and distribution may enforce all rights in appropriate proceedings against those who procured the order and, if successful, shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees as an element of costs.
(b) Debtors of the decedent, those holding property of the decedent, and those with whom securities or other property of the decedent are registered are authorized and empowered to comply with the order by paying, delivering, or transferring to those specified in the order the parts of the decedent’s estate assigned to them by the order, and the persons so paying, delivering, or transferring shall not be accountable to anyone else for the property.
(c) After the entry of the order, bona fide purchasers for value from those to whom property of the decedent may be assigned by the order shall take the property free of all claims of creditors of the decedent and all rights of the surviving spouse and all other beneficiaries.
(d) Property of the decedent that is not exempt from claims of creditors and that remains in the hands of those to whom it may be assigned by the order shall continue to be liable for claims against the decedent until barred as provided in the code. Any known or reasonably ascertainable creditor who did not receive notice and for whom provision for payment was not made may enforce the claim and, if the creditor prevails, shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees as an element of costs against those who joined in the petition.
(e) The recipients of the decedent’s property under the order of summary administration shall be personally liable for a pro rata share of all lawful claims against the estate of the decedent, but only to the extent of the value of the estate of the decedent actually received by each recipient, exclusive of the property exempt from claims of creditors under the constitution and statutes of Florida.
(f) After 2 years from the death of the decedent, neither the decedent’s estate nor those to whom it may be assigned shall be liable for any claim against the decedent, unless proceedings have been taken for the enforcement of the claim.
(g) Any heir or devisee of the decedent who was lawfully entitled to share in the estate but who was not included in the order of summary administration and distribution may enforce all rights in appropriate proceedings against those who procured the order and, if successful, shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees as an element of costs.
735.2063 Notice to creditors.—
(1) Any person who has obtained an order of summary administration may publish a notice to creditors according to the relevant requirements of s. 733.2121, notifying all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent that an order of summary administration has been entered by the court. The notice shall specify the total value of the estate and the names and addresses of those to whom it has been assigned by the order.
(2) If proof of publication of the notice is filed with the court, all claims and demands of creditors against the estate of the decedent who are not known or are not reasonably ascertainable shall be forever barred unless the claims and demands are filed with the court within 3 months after the first publication of the notice.
(2) If proof of publication of the notice is filed with the court, all claims and demands of creditors against the estate of the decedent who are not known or are not reasonably ascertainable shall be forever barred unless the claims and demands are filed with the court within 3 months after the first publication of the notice.
