how to file a summery administration without an attorney

by Vivien Labadie 8 min read

The interested person can go down to the courthouse and file the request for the summary administration without any attorney.

Full Answer

How do I file for summary administration without an attorney?

The interested person can go down to the courthouse and file the request for the summary administration without any attorney.

Do I need a lawyer for summary administration of a Florida estate?

Florida law does not require the person who requests a summary administration of a Florida estate to have a lawyer. The interested person can go down to the courthouse and file the request for the summary administration without any attorney.

Who can file a petition for summary administration?

The petition for summary administration may be filed by any beneficiary or by a person nominated as a personal representative by the decedent in their will, but it must be verified and signed by the surviving spouse, if any. I have the decedent’s original will, what should I do with it?

How do I get an order of summary administration in Florida?

With some small, friendly Florida counties, getting your orders before the judge can be as simple as calling up the clerk of court, (a real human will answer on the first or second ring) and asking the clerk what their local procedures are for accepting proposed orders of summary administration.

How much does it cost to file a summary administration in Florida?

$1,500.00 to $3,500.00In Florida the fees for a Summary Administration vary but will typically range from $1,500.00 to $3,500.00 depending on the nature of the assets, creditor claims, the number of beneficiaries and any complexities associated with getting the Last Will and Testament admitted to Probate Court in Florida.

Is an attorney required for Summary administration in Florida?

Advantages of filing for summary probate in Florida You do not need to have a personal representative or executor appointed. Any beneficiary or a personal representative can submit the estate to the summary probate process. Creditors do not need to be notified.

How long does summary administration take in Florida?

roughly 1-3 monthsA summary administration in Florida takes roughly 1-3 months. As soon as the required filings are made with the probate court, the length of time will depend on whether the court has any issues with your petitions, and how soon the petitions are reviewed by the court.

Can I file probate myself in Florida?

Yes, in almost all cases you will need a Florida Probate Lawyer. Except for “disposition without administration” (very small estates) and those estates in which the executor (personal representative) is the sole beneficiary, Florida law requires the assistance of an attorney.

How do I get a summary of administration in Florida?

Like a formal administration, a Florida summary administration starts with filing a petition in court. The petition for summary administration may be filed by any beneficiary or by a person nominated as a personal representative by the decedent's will, but must be signed and verified by the surviving spouse (if any).

How much does a summary of probate cost in Florida?

Most Miami probate attorney charge between $250 an hour to $450 an hour depending on the experience of the probate attorney. Summary Administration takes a lot less time than a formal administration. Typically, all the documents needed like the Petition for Summary Administration are filed in one batch.

How do I obtain letters of administration in Florida?

This requires several steps:Petition the court to open the estate. The probate attorney will prepare a document called a petition to file with the court to open the estate. ... File proof of decedent's death. ... File oath of office. ... Designate resident agent. ... Furnish bond. ... Serve notice of administration.

What happens if you don't file probate in Florida?

Without going through the probate process, no one will know which assets they are entitled to receive from their loved one's estate, assets may unnecessarily be lost to creditor claims, and heirs and beneficiaries will lack the certainty they need to move on.

How do I transfer property after death in Florida?

The state of Florida does not allow automatic "transfer upon death" arrangements for deeds of real estate. If a Florida property owner passes away, the property must go through the probate court system for the county the decedent lived in.

Can you file probate without a lawyer in Florida?

For all but the simplest estates, Florida law requires that the personal representative of an estate hire a probate attorney to guide him or her through the process. While hiring an attorney might seem like an unnecessary burden, an attorney should help make the probate process as efficient as possible.

How much does it cost to file probate in Florida?

For estates between $40,000 and $70,000: $2,250. For estates between $70,000 and $100,000: $3,000. For estates between $100,000 and $900,000: 3% of the estate's value. For estates between $1 million and $3 million: 2.5%

Can you deal with probate yourself?

Completing a paper probate application form If there's not a will, fill in form PA1A. You can do this yourself or you can call the probate and inheritance tax helpline for help completing the form.

Who can file a summary administration in Florida?

(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.

How do I get a letter of administration in Florida?

This requires several steps:Petition the court to open the estate. The probate attorney will prepare a document called a petition to file with the court to open the estate. ... File proof of decedent's death. ... File oath of office. ... Designate resident agent. ... Furnish bond. ... Serve notice of administration.

What is the difference between probate and letters of administration?

What's the difference between letters of administration and grant of probate? The main difference is that a grant of probate is issued to the executor named in the will, whereas a grant of letters of administration is issued to the next of kin, who is called the administrator.

How long do you have to file probate after death in Florida?

A note about wills: Whether or not probate will be necessary, Florida law requires that anyone who has possession of a will must file it with the local circuit court within 10 days of learning of the death. If a probate court proceeding is necessary, the court will determine whether or not the will is valid.

What is summary administration in Florida?

Florida Summary Administration is a shortened form of probate that requires less time and effort than formal administration. Unlike formal administration, the court will not appoint a personal representative (PR).

How long does a decedent have to be dead to file for summary administration in Florida?

The decedent has been dead for two or more years prior to the filing of the petition for summary administration;  and. If the decedent left a Last Will and Testament, it does not direct administrationas required by chapter 733 of the Florida statutes.

What is remote online notarization?

Remote Online Notarization (RON). You can sign and notarize your documents online with one of our certified notaries from the comfort of your home. No extra fees.

How much is a Florida estate subject to administration?

The value of the entire estate subject to administration in Florida, less the value of property exempt from the claims of creditors, must not exceed $75,000; or

Can an estate be a summary administration?

Yes. Just because an estate qualifies for a summary administration, it may not necessarily your best course of action. There may be circumstances in your particular matter that you did not anticipate. For instance, in a Florida summary administration there is a “petitioner”, but no “personal representative”. A petitioner does not have the same legal authority to inquire about, collect, manage, or dispose of assets in the same way that a court appointed personal representative does in a formal administration.

Is a personal representative appointed in summary administration?

A “Personal Representative” is not appointed in a summary administration;

Can an estate be a summary?

Yes.   Just because an estate qualifies for a summary administration, it may not necessarily your best course of action. There may be circumstances in your particular matter that you did not anticipate.   For instance, in a Florida summary administration there is a “petitioner”, but no “personal representative”.

What is the difference between a summary administration and a formal administration in Florida?

The first major difference between a summary administration and a formal administration in Florida is the amount of time it takes to close out the administration.

When is summary administration best in Florida?

Summary Administration in Florida is ideal when the deceased person had no creditors. This is specially true when the deceased person has been dead for less than two years.

What is summary administration?

Summary administration is ideal when the deceased person had no creditors (i.e. people he or she owed money too), the only assets of the deceased person are exempt assets (protected against creditors), or if the deceased person has been dead for over two years and all the creditors are barred.

How long do creditors have to file a claim in Florida?

However in Florida, creditors have two years to bring any claims against the deceased person. After two years all creditors are barred against bringing any further claims. Summary administration can be done because the Probate Court does not have to deal with all the formalities and notices that must be given to creditors during a formal ...

Why is summary administration in Florida so much faster?

Why is summary administration in Florida so much faster you may ask yourself? The reason for this is because if you qualify for summary administration, a lot of the formalities of the formal administration process are not done.

How long can a person be liable for a claim if they have been dead for less than two years?

If the person has been dead for less than two years and the assets are less than $75,000, the petitioner in the Summary Administration can either file a Notice to Creditors to bar any future creditors from bringing claims or can file an Affidavit where they remain personally liable for any claims brought before the two year mark.

How much does a probate attorney charge in Miami?

Most Miami probate attorney charge between $250 an hour to $450 an hour depending on the experience of the probate attorney. Summary Administration takes a lot less time than a formal administration. Typically, all the documents needed like the Petition for Summary Administration are filed in one batch.

How long does it take to get a summary administration in Florida?

If you qualify and elect to use Summary Administration, the process becomes very simplified. Formal administration takes a minimum of 5 months to complete under Florida law and it is not uncommon for routine probate estates to last a year or more. A summary administration proceeding can be completed in a matter of months. This is because a personal representative does not have to be appointed, creditors do not have to be notified and there is no three month claims period. The court simply issues an order stating who is entitled to distribution of the decedent's probate estate.

Why is summary administration less expensive than formal administration?

Because of the simplicity and much shorter process , the expenses of summary administration are considerably less than those of formal administration. The attorney's fee is reduced. There is no personal representative to pay a fee to, and there are no costs to publish notices to creditors.

What is summary administration?

Summary Administration is a procedure available for the administration of estates under $75,000 or when the decedent has been dead for more than two years . It avoids the necessity of the appointment of a personal representative. It is accomplished by petitioning the Court to order the distribution of the decedent’s assets to those entitled ...

How long does a decedent have to be dead to qualify for summary administration?

Larger estates can qualify for Summary Administration if the decedent has been dead for at least 2 years.

Does a personal representative have to be appointed?

This is because a personal representative does not have to be appointed, creditors do not have to be notified and there is no three month claims period. The court simply issues an order stating who is entitled to distribution of the decedent's probate estate.

How to file a motion in court without an attorney?

Before filing a motion in court without an attorney, check the court's website for a fill-in-the-blank form. If they don't offer blank forms, you'll have to draft your own. Once drafted, make 2-3 copies of your motion and supporting materials.

How to make a legal argument?

To make a legal argument, you need to state the legal rule and then explain how the facts you just listed apply to the legal rule.

What is the standard for a motion for summary judgment?

For example, to file a motion for summary judgment, you need to state the summary judgment standard first: "A party is entitled to summary judgment if 'there is no genuine issue as to a material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56 (c)."

How to check if a court has a blank motion?

1. Check if the court has blank motion forms. Some courts have "check the boxes" or "fill in the blank" motion forms. Look for these forms on the court's website, or contact the clerk of the court where your case has been assigned. If your court does not have blank motion forms, don't use a blank form from another state.

What should the title of a motion for default judgment be?

Title your motion. Your title should tell the court what the motion is about. If you are asking the court for a default judgment, then your title should be "Motion for Default Judgment."

What is the heading of a court case?

The heading information is called the caption . Typically, the caption includes the name of the court, the name of the parties, and the case number. This information should always remain in the same form in all documents filed in your case, both in content and format.

How to sign a letter stating that the information contained above is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and?

Insert a signature block. Begin a new paragraph after the body. Include the statement, "I swear the information contained above is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief." Include a few blank lines for your signature. Then type your name, address, telephone number, and email address so the court or the other party can contact you.

How to get a summary order in Florida?

With some small, friendly Florida counties, getting your orders before the judge can be as simple as calling up the clerk of court, (a real human will answer on the first or second ring) and asking the clerk what their local procedures are for accepting proposed orders of summary administration. Most likely you will be told to simply make two or three copies of the proposed orders and mail them to the court along with self-addressed stamped envelopes. They will even give you the address to use and ask you about your grandchildren. A week or two later, your probate case is done.

What happens if you don't follow the probate process?

If you don’t follow the judge’s procedure, your case will sit in purgatory until the proverbial cows come home .

How does probate work in Miami-Dade County?

The eleventh judicial circuit, which encompasses Miami-Dade County, uses an electronic system known as “ Probate E-Courtesy ” to handle the task of getting proposed probate orders, like summary administration and homestead determination, before their judges. You must first register for an E-Courtesy account, and then have your proposed orders ready to upload in Microsoft Word format. You must also upload a courtesy copy of the corresponding petitions in .pdf format. Once you have done this properly, you’ll get an email from the system letting you know that the proposed probate orders have been accepted and are on their way to a judge. My favorite story about judges and probate orders actually comes from Miami-Dade County. Once, I helped a customer create and upload proposed orders to his E-Courtesy account on a Sunday afternoon . Twenty-seven minutes later, the orders were signed by the judge and uploaded to the Florida e-portal for docketing with the clerk of court! In contrast, if you send paper orders to Miami-Dade, they will sit there until the cows come home, leave, and come home again.

What is Florida document specialist?

Florida Document Specialists provides a flat-fee service for the preparation and filing of your Florida Summary Administration forms. Visit our page on Summary Administration to lean more about the process and the services we offer.

Do you need to complete court mandated checklists?

First, you must download and complete court mandated checklists for every petition that you have filed. Most counties have their staff complete these checklists as part of the intake process, because, presumably, the court employee knows what to look for. Broward has out-sourced that step to you!

Can a small estate be a summary administration?

Most pro se summary administration petitioners don’t realize that once the various probate petitions and supporting documents (certificate of death, etc.) are filed with the court to open a small estate with a summary administration, a set of proposed orders must still be prepared. Our customers are often surprised to learn that the court, much less the actual judge assigned to the case, does not type the orders that will be signed. Proposed probate orders must be typed and presented to the probate judge utilizing the specific methods that the judge has mandated. If you don’t follow the judge’s procedure, your case will sit in purgatory until the proverbial cows come home.

Can I open an estate by myself?

Unfortunately you cannot open an estate by yourself. You will need to hire an attorney to file for probate in Miami.#N#If you need to take the estate through probate it must be because there are assets in the name of your wife alone.

Do you need an attorney to probate a late wife's estate in Florida?

You don't state why you need to probate your late wife's estate in Florida. I agree with Attorney Perlin that you will need an attorney for a full blown formal administration of your late wife's estate. But just guessing from what you said, if you don't have enough money to hire an attorney, what could be in the estate that needs to be probated?

Does Florida require an attorney for probate?

The Florida Probate Rules require the use of an attorney in most actions in the probate court. If you are unable to afford an attorney, you may wish to contact the Miami-Dade County Bar Association Referral Service. There may be attorneys in that county who may be able to assist you on a reduced fee or pro bono basis.#N#More