The death of a loved one is understandably a stressful time for families in Florida. Not only do they have to deal with the emotional aspect of losing a loved one, but they also have to deal with the complexities of probate administration. An attorney can guide both beneficiaries and executors through the probate process that is necessary to access the assets and accounts of deceased loves ones in the Sunshine State.
Through legal guidance, the entire estate administration may be effectively handled no matter how complex or large an estate. This includes dealing with the IRS as well as creditors and the court. The ultimate goal is to minimize the expenses and headaches associated with settling an estate.
The estate administration process involves many steps, including the preparation and filing of all non-probate and probate forms. A notice to creditors also has to be published. In addition, annuity and pension providers, along with Social Security, must be notified.
All of the deceased person’s assets additionally need to be identified, collected and appraised. Another part of the process involves having documents re-titled and transferred. Finally, estate income tax returns must be handled, and then the estate must be distributed and closed. Tax-saving strategies may even be implemented to increase a received inheritance’s net value, and a lawyer can also help with the process of transitioning the deceased person’s business interests. The help of an attorney in Florida may make the probate process much easier to navigate at an already difficult time for the decedent’s surviving loved ones.
