You've lost someone. We'll handle the legal part.
Settling a Florida estate is a maze of deadlines, court filings, creditors, and paperwork — at the worst possible time. Truestead Law guides personal representatives and families through probate and trust administration step by step, so you can grieve while we move the estate forward.
Serving families throughout Florida — by phone, video & appointment.
What to do when someone passes in Florida.
Secure documents
Find the original will, trust, deeds, account statements, and the death certificate. Don't pay debts or distribute anything yet.
Don't transfer assets
Accounts and property have a legal order of priority. Moving money early can create personal liability for the wrong person.
Identify what's probate
Some assets pass outside probate (trust, survivorship, beneficiaries). We sort what needs court administration from what doesn't.
Talk to us early
A short consultation tells you which process applies — formal, summary, or none — and what it will take.
Florida estate & trust matters we take on.
Full Florida probate — appointing the personal representative, marshaling assets, handling creditors, and distributing the estate. Process & timeline →
The faster, lower-cost path for smaller estates or when the death was more than two years ago. Summary administration →
Guiding successor trustees through their duties — notices, accountings, asset transfers, and distributions — without court supervision. Probate vs. trust admin →
Serving as counsel to the executor/PR, protecting them from personal liability and keeping the administration on track.
Publishing notice, evaluating and objecting to claims, and resolving estate debts in the correct statutory order.
For out-of-state and foreign decedents who owned Florida property. Ancillary probate →
Clear process, clear cost, steady hands.
We tell you which path you're on — fast. Not every death requires probate, and many that do qualify for the streamlined summary process. The first thing we do is determine whether you need formal administration, summary administration, or no court process at all.
We protect the personal representative. Serving as executor carries real legal duties and personal exposure. As your counsel, we keep you compliant with Florida's deadlines and creditor rules so a good-faith mistake doesn't become your liability.
Fees you understand up front. Florida law addresses attorney's fees in probate, and we explain how fees work for your matter in writing before we begin — no surprises while you're grieving.
Every estate is different. Whether probate is required, which type applies, and how long it will take depend on the specific assets, the will or trust, and any disputes — and can only be determined after reviewing your situation. This page is general information, not legal advice.
The best probate is the one that never happens.
If settling this estate has been hard, you don't have to leave the same for the people you love. We're also a Florida estate planning firm — once this administration is done, we can build the trust and deeds that keep your own family out of probate entirely. Many clients come to us through a loss and stay for the plan that prevents the next one.
Common Florida probate questions.
Formal administration typically runs about 6–12 months, longer if contested or complex. Summary administration — for estates of $75,000 or less, or when the death was more than two years ago — can be just a few weeks to a couple of months. The creditor-claim period is a major driver of the timeline.
Only for assets in the decedent's sole name with no beneficiary or survivorship. Trust assets, jointly owned property, POD/TOD accounts, and life insurance with named beneficiaries pass outside probate. We'll tell you quickly whether court administration is required.
No. A will directs the probate; it doesn't avoid it. The will must be admitted to probate to control the estate's probate assets. Avoiding probate requires a trust, survivorship titling, or beneficiary designations — which is exactly the planning we can set up afterward.
The PR (executor) gathers and values assets, gives notice to creditors, pays valid debts and taxes in the correct order, and distributes what remains to the beneficiaries — all under court oversight and fiduciary duties. We serve as the PR's counsel and handle the legal mechanics.
It depends on the estate's size and complexity and the type of administration. Florida law addresses reasonable attorney's fees for probate, and we explain the fee structure for your matter in writing up front. See our guide to Florida probate cost.
Let's find out what this estate actually needs.
A focused consultation tells you which process applies and what comes next — so you can stop guessing and start moving forward.