Category Archives: Probate
What Happens If Someone Dies Without A Will? Intestate Succession In Florida
A will is one of the most basic yet important estate planning documents. It offers important guidance in the event of death and determines how property and assets are divided among beneficiaries. What happens if someone dies without a will? Then the court follows the rules of intestate succession. Our Tampa probate lawyer explains… Read More »
Summary Administration As An Alternative To Probate
It’s no secret that the probate process is time consuming and often confusing for whoever is tasked with serving as the estate’s personal representative. Fortunately, there are a couple of alternatives to formal administration, also called full probate. At Bubley & Bubley, P.A., we work with families who are trying to administer a loved… Read More »
Common Will Challenges In A Florida Probate Case
After a loved one passes, their estate goes through the probate process in court. During this process, there may be a dispute about the distribution of the estate, which is known as a will challenge. There are many reasons why a will might be challenged in court, and regardless of what side you are… Read More »
My Spouse Passed Away—Will Our Assets Go Through Probate?
As described by the Florida Courts, probate is the court supervised process whereby a person’s property/assets are identified, valid creditors are paid, and distributions are eventually made to the rightful heirs. For a number of different reasons, many people want to avoid probate. It can sometimes be a slow and frustrating process. This raises… Read More »
The Executor is Not Following the Will — What Options are Available
A will is a foundational estate planning document. In writing a proper will, one needs to appoint an executor — this being the trusted person who will be responsible for identifying property, handling all debts and creditor claims, and distributing assets in accordance with the last wishes of the deceased. Unfortunately, in some cases,… Read More »
Protecting Your Assets From Probate
Probate is the process the court uses after an individual dies to distribute his or her assets to his or her loved ones. Probate is a necessary process for any estate, though how much is involved in the process depends on the contents of the individual’s estate and amount and type of estate planning… Read More »
Understanding the Probate Process
The death of a loved one is always devastating, and requires a considerable amount of time to process, as well as to grieve. In the midst of planning funeral arrangements, it is often necessary to negotiate the complicated process of gathering the required documents to, for example, access bank accounts and receive any life… Read More »
How Owning Property in another State Affects Your Estate Plan
Florida is commonly considered a state that a person moves to for work or retirement, but is not generally viewed as a place where many people are born and grow up. In fact, only 36 percent of Floridians are native to the state, according to the most recent numbers released in 2012. Most transplants… Read More »
When and How to Remove a Personal Representative in Probate Proceedings
Once a person dies, one of the most important players involved with the deceased’s estate is the personal representative. The personal representative is a person, bank, or trust company appointed by a court to serve as the administrator of the deceased’s estate in probate proceedings. A probate proceeding is a court-supervised process that identifies… Read More »
How to Properly Transfer Real Property to an Estate Trustee
Many people associate trusts with wealthy philanthropists and do not see them as applicable to the average person. However, trusts offer estate planning benefits that apply to everyone and can be a cost effective tool to distribute property after death. Trusts allow the creator to have more control over how his/her property is ultimately… Read More »
