Orlando Probate - Probate in Florida
Christopher Q. Wintter Florida Probate Lawyer of Wintter & Associates, P.A.
Contact information: 2239 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, FL 33020 - Hollywood: 954-920-7014
Miami-Dade: 305-948-6788 - Boca Raton: 561-470-3448 - Fax: 954-920-7080
Wintter & Associates, P.A. is a Florida trust and estate law firm focusing its practice in the areas of probate administration, trust administration, guardianship administration, probate litigation, trust litigation, guardianship litigation, and estate planning. The firm's professionals are devoted to the representation of clients in estate, trust, probate, and guardianship proceedings. The firm is well known and is well respected by its colleagues, competitors, adversaries, and judges.
Christopher Q. Wintter has over 23 years of experience as a practicing attorney and is a recognized expert in Trust and Estate matters by the Florida Bar. Mr. Wintter earned his Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law (1987) and earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting with High Honors from the University of Florida (1982).
Our attorneys have a thorough understanding of the legal, tax and financial issues that come into play with complex Trusts and Estates. Mr. Wintter holds the prestigious Board Certification by the Florida Bar in Wills, Trusts, and Estates, a credential held by fewer than 350 attorneys out of the more than 90,000 attorneys licensed to practice law in Florida. Mr. Wintter has been Board Certified since 1999. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Wintter was a CPA and maintained his license as a Certified Public Accountant from 1984-2002.
To learn more about Wintter and Associates, P.A., please visit our web-site www.WintterLaw.com.
Most people have questions when they come up against the death of a family member and the execution of their Will in Orlando. One of the most often asked questions is - "Do I need a lawyer?" The answer to this question is yes, in most cases. The exception to this is in cases of very small estates which qualify for what is called "disposition without administration." Another exception is when the executor of the Will is also the sole beneficiary in the Will.
In general though, Florida law requires that a probate lawyer be involved in the distribution of assets from estates in Orlando. Even in those situations when the law does not require the assistance of a probate lawyer, the actual administration of an estate is so complex a non-lawyer will become frustrated quickly.
Another typically asked question about probate in Orlando and Florida in general is "Does the probate lawyer need to live in Florida?" The answer is "not usually" because generally probate cases are uncontested and the probate lawyer and a personal representative do not even have to appear in court. All you need to consider when choosing a probate lawyer is whether they have a license to practice in Florida. If the distribution of the estate requires a court appearance, many times the probate lawyer can access a local lawyer to attend the court appearance.
People, who have never been through probate in Orlando Florida, often wonder how long it will take for the estate to get through probate. This is a good question and for most cases, that do not go into dispute or are contested, you can expect the formal administration of most nontaxable probate proceedings to last anywhere between six to ten months and it can take anywhere from four to five weeks for a summary administration.
If the estate is taxable, it can typically take up to two years for closure. This is because the IRS has to sign off on the Estate Tax Return 706. It is important to remember, if you are dealing with a taxable estate, that the 706 has to be filed within nine months of the date of death. This form can take up to nine months to prepare so starting the process as soon as possible after death is a good idea. The delay is waiting for the IRS to complete their work. Speak to an Orlando Probate Lawyer today!
