Blog: Probate
Tampa Probate Lawyer on The Steps to Take after Your Loved One Has Passed
The death of a loved one is always overwhelming. Even in instances when you might have seen it coming, the reality of losing someone you care about always comes as a shock. While it may be impossible to feel prepared for the grief you will experience, there are ways...
Brandon Probate Lawyer Discusses Four Reasons to Consider Setting Up a Will
Creating a will is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your spouse, children, and other loved ones after you pass away. You can use a will to dictate exactly how you would like your finances and assets to be handled and distributed upon your death....
How You Can Avoid Probate in Hillsborough County
Probate is the legal process of settling someone’s estate when they die. A court will review the decedent’s will and authorize the executor of the estate to pay any debts or taxes the estate may owe and distribute assets to the designated beneficiaries. If a decedent...
Tampa Probate Lawyer on Deciding Who Should Administer Your Estate (And Who Shouldn’t)
It may seem like an easy choice to decide who will administer your estate when you are gone. You may be thinking of appointing a relative you trust, or it may be your own lawyer. You know that your final wishes will be left in someone else’s hands, so you want those...
Tips When Obtaining a Death Certificate in Hillsborough County
Our Hillsborough County probate lawyers know the steps to take after the loss a loved one can be overwhelming, but requesting a death certificate is a great place to get started. You will need a death certificate to complete many of the administrative tasks that you...
Hillsborough County Probate Lawyer Answers, “What is Probate” and “How Can I Help My Family Avoid This Process In The Future?”
After the loss of a loved one, we often hear from family members who are overwhelmed or confused by the probate process necessary to administer his or her estate. How to navigate Hillsborough County probate really depends on the value of the assets left behind in the...
Brandon Probate Lawyer: How Do I Petition the Court to Become My Loved One’s Executor?
When a person dies without a will here in Florida, they are said to have died “intestate,” and all decisions regarding their estate will be dictated by state law and the local probate court. Without a will, a judge will also bear the responsibility of choosing an...
Ask a Florida Probate Lawyer: “I’ve Been Named as Someone’s Executor…What Should I Do?”
Florida probate lawyers often hear from individuals who were named as an Executor in a loved one’s will and are now struggling to understand their role, responsibilities, and what to do next to close out the estate. Sometimes we hear from folks who didn’t even know...
Hillsborough County Probate Lawyer: 4 Common Situations When Probate Is Not Required
A lot of people have concerns about going through the Hillsborough County probate process after the loss of a loved one because they’ve heard it’s time-consuming and costly. What many people don’t realize, however, is that not every asset has to go through a lengthy...
Tampa Probate Lawyer Answers, “Can I Assume or Take Over Someone’s Mortgage When They Die?”
Most people have mortgages on their homes, and loved ones are often surprised that a mortgage doesn’t magically disappear when the property owner passes away. We often hear from heirs who want to know what their options are for dealing with an outstanding mortgage as...
Tips for Managing an Out-of-State Probate Due to COVID-19 | Hillsborough County Probate Lawyers
Florida is unique in that many of our residents split their time between our state and other parts of the country during the warmer months. As such, “snowbirds” (or even their families), may find themselves dealing with an exceptionally challenging problem during the...
Avoiding Probate with Joint Accounts and Beneficiaries | Tampa Estate Planning Lawyer
A common concern for people who meet with a Tampa estate planning lawyer for the first time is the desire to avoid probate. Perhaps they’ve been through the process after the loss of a loved one and they now want to take steps to help their own family avoid the legal...
Tampa Probate Lawyer Says, “Give Your Executor a Hand – Let Them Know Where Your Documents Are Located!”
The executor of your estate has an important job to complete once you’re gone. However, that job can be made exponentially harder, or virtually impossible, if they are unable to locate the documents necessary to handle your final affairs. Worse is when a person thinks...
How to Settle a Probate Estate in Florida
Settling a probate estate requires quite a lot of time, patience, and organization. The probate process has the potential to be long and drawn out depending on the deceased’s state of affairs and, realistically, how easy the probate court makes it to work with them....
How to Properly Liquidate a Loved One’s Home
Liquidate Your Home (or a Loved One's) When a loved one will no longer be returning to their home the family needs to secure the assets of their loved one in the newly abandoned home. The family has a number of responsibilities, among those are: Immediately secure the...