Dixie County Probate - Probate in Florida
When your loved ones are planning to retire to a place like Dixie County in Florida, you want to be sure that you are prepared for anything. You will make sure that you have their local emergency numbers and other important local numbers to ensure that they are well taken care of, and you prepare yourself for any situations that might come up. One situation, however, that might be overlooked in many cases is the death of your loved ones while they are living in Florida. You should know how to handle any possible situation, and planning for the settlement of your loved one's estate is an important stop to take.
You should know that in the state of Florida if your loved one dies, you are required by state law to retain the services of a probate lawyer to see you through the probate process and help you to settle the estate. If your loved one passes away as a resident of the state of Florida, then their estate must be probated in that state, and if you are the personal representative of the estate, then you are responsible for hiring the lawyer to help you through the probate process and to aid you in settling the estate. It is recommended that you hire a Dixie County probate lawyer if there is contested litigation that needs to be held in the Dixie County courthouse because you will have an attorney familiar with the local rules, judges, etc.
The probate process in Florida can take as little as six months or as long as several years depending on several factors including the taxability of the estate. Your probate lawyer will work with you to ensure that the case takes as little time as possible, and that as much of the funds of the estate as possible are preserved for the heirs of the estate rather than going into other pockets. Your probate lawyer will help you be prepared, and will help you through your difficult time with grace. The cost for a Florida probate attorney is as set forth in Florida Statutes Section 733.6171, which states:
733.6171 Compensation of attorney for the personal representative -
(1) Attorneys for personal representatives shall be entitled to reasonable compensation payable from the estate assets without court order.
(2) The attorney, the personal representative, and persona bearing the impact of the compensation may agree to compensation determined in a different manner than provided in this section if the manner is disclosed to the parties bearing the impact of the compensation and if no objection is made as provided for in the Florida Probate Rules.
(3) Compensation for ordinary services of attorneys in formal estate administration is presumed to be reasonable if based on the compensable value of the estate, which is the inventory value of the probate estate assets and the income earned by the estate during the administration as provided in the following schedule:
(a) One thousand five hundred dollars for estates having a value of $40,000 or less
(b) An additional $750 for estates having a value of more than $40,000, but not exceeding $70,000.
(c) An additional $750 for estates having a value of more than $70,000 and not exceeding $100,000.
(d) For estates having a value in excess of $100,000, at the rate of 3 percent on the next $900,000.
(e) At the rate of 2.5 percent for all above $1 million and not exceeding $3 million.
(f) At the rate of 2 percent for all above $3 million and not exceeding $5 million.
(g) At the rate of 1.5 percent for all above $5 million and not exceeding $10 million
(h) At a rate of 1 percent for all above $10 million.
During this difficult time, hiring a probate attorney can be the best decision you can make to ensure your loved one's estate is handled properly. Contact a Dixie County Probate Lawyer today!
