Probate

When a person dies owning assets in his/her own name, those assets will pass either to the beneficiaries named in the Last Will of that person, or if no will was made, to the heirs at law as determined by Florida law. This process is called probate administration, and usually takes at least six-eight months, and is supervised by the probate court of the county where that person died. The court appoints a personal representative (also called executor) who handles the administration. The probate process assures that all bills and taxes are paid before anything is distributed to family or the beneficiaries.