How Much Does Probate Cost in Florida? Fees and Attorney Costs Explained (2026)
Short answer: Probate in Florida typically costs a few thousand dollars for smaller estates and scales with estate value for larger ones. The main components are the court filing fee (roughly $235 for summary administration and around $400 for formal administration, varying slightly by county), attorney fees (Florida law sets a “presumed reasonable” schedule starting […]
Summary Administration in Florida: Fast-Track Probate Under the New $150,000 Limit (2026)
Short answer: Summary administration is Florida’s fast-track probate for smaller estates. It skips the appointment of a personal representative, usually requires no court hearings, and can be completed in a matter of weeks instead of many months. An estate qualifies if the Florida assets subject to administration (minus exempt property) do not exceed the statutory […]
How to Avoid Probate in Florida: 7 Ways to Pass Assets Without Court (2026)
Short answer: Probate in Florida can be avoided — but only by planning done before death. The main tools are a revocable living trust, an enhanced life estate (“Lady Bird”) deed for real estate, joint ownership with survivorship rights, and beneficiary designations (POD/TOD) on financial accounts. Assets titled this way pass directly to the beneficiary […]
Selling Inherited Property in Florida as a Foreign Heir: Taxes, FIRPTA and the Process (2026)
Short answer: As a foreign heir, you can sell an inherited Florida property once the probate court has given the estate’s personal representative authority to act — or once the property has been formally transferred to you. Two pieces of good news: thanks to the “stepped-up basis” rule, income tax on the sale is often […]
U.S. Inheritance Tax for Non-Residents: What Foreign Heirs Owe in 2026
Short answer: The United States has no federal inheritance tax on heirs — the federal tax that may apply is an estate tax, charged to the deceased person’s estate before anything is distributed. Florida imposes no state estate or inheritance tax at all. For foreign heirs, the key question is usually not “will the U.S. […]
Ancillary Probate in Florida: A Guide for Out-of-State and Foreign Heirs
Short answer: Ancillary probate is a second, “helper” probate proceeding required when someone who lived outside Florida — in another U.S. state or another country — dies owning real estate or certain other assets located in Florida. The home state’s (or home country’s) inheritance proceeding cannot transfer title to Florida land, so a separate Florida […]
Inheriting Property in the USA as a Foreign Heir: A Practical Guide
If you live outside the United States and have inherited property or assets from a relative in America, you can claim your inheritance—foreign heirs have the same rights as U.S. citizens. In most cases the estate passes through a court-supervised process called probate, handled in the state where the assets are located. You generally do […]
Preparing for Administration: The Importance of the Estate Questionnaire
Preparing for Administration The initial phase of probate is often the most demanding: gathering every financial fragment of the decedent’s life. Experience shows that well-organized data can save months of time in the courtroom. What Information is Required by the Court and Counsel? To complete a comprehensive Estate Administration Questionnaire, you will need to provide: […]
Minor Heirs and Guardianship in Florida Probate
Minor Heirs and Guardianship The Broward County court guidelines dedicate a significant section to Guardianship, a topic that frequently intersects with probate proceedings. What happens when a minor child or an incapacitated adult stands to inherit significant assets? In Florida, minors are legally prohibited from managing substantial assets (typically anything exceeding $15,000). In such cases, […]
Intestate Succession: Who Inherits When There Is No Will?
Intestate Succession: people delay drafting a Will, believing the distribution of their assets is a simple matter of common sense. However, in Florida, when an individual passes away without a valid Will—a situation known as dying “intestate”—state statutes dictate a rigid order of succession. This often leads to outcomes that differ significantly from what the […]