Pinellas County 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.
In the state of Florida, with the exception of very small estates and other limited circumstances, all estates must go through the legal process of probate when its owner dies. Probate is designed to ensure that the deceased's estate pays any debts and taxes owed before the remainder of the property is distributed to heirs of the deceased.
Do I have to hire a Probate Lawyer for Probate in Pinellas?
In most probate cases in Pinellas and the rest of Florida, the law requires that a probate lawyer be hired to aid the personal representative of the estate in administering the probate estate. This is a legal requirement because Florida probate law is very complex, and probate is not a process that a layperson can carry out without expert advice.
This legal requirement can be waived only in situations where the personal representative of the estate is its only beneficiary. In these cases the estate goes through a less formal process called Summary Administration, and a probate lawyer is not legally required.
If the decedent lived in Pinellas, Florida, hiring a Pinellas probate lawyer is the best way to handle probate, as they will be able to oversee work that must be handled locally. You may choose any probate attorney in the state of Florida who is of convenience to you; however, if there are issues in your probate being contested and that would require court appearances, then it would be wise to have a Pinellas County Probate Lawyer because a Pinellas probate attorney would be more familiar with the local Judges and Court system, and that would prove very helpful.
What does a Probate Lawyer do?
A Pinellas probate lawyer can handle most of the tasks associated with probate, including the following:
* Filing petitions at the Pinellas Circuit Court (these are required to open and close probate)
* Attending probate hearings (the lawyer can attend with or instead of the personal representative)
* Preparing and filing documents and legal forms
* Notifying creditors and other interested parties that probate is in progress
* Hiring an accountant to prepare tax returns
* Arranging for appraisal of the estate
* Making sure each stage of probate is completed on time, to prevent delays in closing the estate
* Distribution of assets to the legal beneficiaries
How much does a Pinellas Probate Lawyer Charge?
According to Florida probate law, a "reasonable" fee is 3% of the value of the estate. However, a Pinellas probate lawyer does not have to charge such a fee, and may not charge a percentage of the estate's value at all. Instead, they may charge an hourly rate. Note that the personal representative of the estate does not pay the fee-this is paid by the estate.
How long does Pinellas Probate take?
The average-sized Florida estate takes at least six months to finish probate, and often up to twelve months. Probate may take up to two years if the estate owes Federal taxes.
Don't risk mishandling the estate that you have been appointed to protect. You must be certain that all creditors and governmental agencies are properly paid to avoid future liability or financial problems in the future. Only a Florida probate attorney can assist you in this matter.
