What alternatives are available to formal administration?
Florida law provides for several alternate, abbreviated procedures other than Formal Administration.
Summary Administration is generally available if the value of the estate subject to probate in Florida (less property which is exempt from the claims of creditors) is not more than $75,000 or the decedent has been dead for more than two years.
Under Summary Administration, the persons who receive the estate assets remain liable for claims against the decedent for two years after the date of death. This period may be reduced in Summary Administration by publication of notice in a local newspaper
Another alternative to Formal Administration is "Disposition Without Administration." This is available if estate assets consist solely of exempt property (as defined by law and the Florida Constitution) and non-exempt personal property, the value of which does not exceed the combined total of up to $6,000 in funeral expenses, plus the amount of all reasonable and necessary medical and hospital expenses incurred in the last 60 days of the last illness.
If the decedent was not a Florida resident at the time of death, an alternate procedure may be used to admit the will to record in Florida. This procedure is used to establish title to Florida real property. When admitted to record in any Florida county where the real estate is located, the "foreign will" serves to pass title to the real estate as if the will had been admitted to probate. This procedure is available only if either two years have passed from the decedent's death or the domiciliary personal representative has been discharged and there has been no estate administration in Florida.
Summary Administration is generally available if the value of the estate subject to probate in Florida (less property which is exempt from the claims of creditors) is not more than $75,000 or the decedent has been dead for more than two years.
Under Summary Administration, the persons who receive the estate assets remain liable for claims against the decedent for two years after the date of death. This period may be reduced in Summary Administration by publication of notice in a local newspaper
Another alternative to Formal Administration is "Disposition Without Administration." This is available if estate assets consist solely of exempt property (as defined by law and the Florida Constitution) and non-exempt personal property, the value of which does not exceed the combined total of up to $6,000 in funeral expenses, plus the amount of all reasonable and necessary medical and hospital expenses incurred in the last 60 days of the last illness.
If the decedent was not a Florida resident at the time of death, an alternate procedure may be used to admit the will to record in Florida. This procedure is used to establish title to Florida real property. When admitted to record in any Florida county where the real estate is located, the "foreign will" serves to pass title to the real estate as if the will had been admitted to probate. This procedure is available only if either two years have passed from the decedent's death or the domiciliary personal representative has been discharged and there has been no estate administration in Florida.
