Free Download · Florida Probate
Named executor of a Florida estate?
Here is what to do first.
A free, plain-English kit for Florida personal representatives: the first steps, the deadlines that matter, and how to avoid the mistakes that cost families time and money.
Short answer
If you were named personal representative in a Florida will, you cannot act until the probate court issues Letters of Administration, usually two to four weeks after a clean petition. Before then: secure the home and property, locate the original will, order ten certified death certificates, and do not pay creditors or distribute anything. Estates of $150,000 or less (deaths on or after July 1, 2026) may skip formal administration entirely.
If someone close to you has died and you have been named personal representative (Florida’s word for executor), the first few weeks are confusing and the stakes are real. Move too fast on the wrong thing and you can become personally responsible for it. This free kit lays out what to do, in order, under Florida law.
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What is inside
- The first 7 days: what to secure, and what never to touch yet
- Which Florida probate applies to you: summary, formal, or none at all
- The homestead trap that catches most Florida families
- The notice-to-creditors clock and the deadlines you cannot miss
- A document-gathering checklist so nothing slips through
- When Florida law requires you to work with an attorney
- The mistakes that make a personal representative personally liable
A look inside: the first 7 days
A sample straight from the kit, no email required.
Locate the original will and any trust documents. Do not write on them or remove staples.
Secure the home and vehicles. Forward mail, but do not start paying bills out of your own pocket.
Order at least 10 certified copies of the death certificate. You will need them for banks, the court, and title companies.
Do not distribute anything yet, not even a keepsake, until the estate is opened and debts are addressed.
Rated 4.8 stars in client reviews. 17years of Florida practice, flat fees on most estate work, and you work directly with the attorney, not a case manager. Summary administration is a flat $3,000; formal administration starts at $4,500, quoted after a free call.
Already in the middle of it?
The kit pairs with the free tools on this site. Use the probate calculator to see which Florida process applies, the cost estimator to plan for fees, and the who-inherits tool if there was no will. The Florida probate timeline shows the full sequence from start to close.
Common questions
Do I need a lawyer to handle probate in Florida?
Summary administration you can sometimes handle yourself. Formal administration generally requires a Florida attorney. The kit explains which one applies to your situation, and a free call can confirm it.
How long does Florida probate take?
Summary administration can take a few months. Formal administration commonly runs 8 to 12 months in Broward County, and longer if there are disputes or creditor claims.
What is a personal representative?
It is Florida’s term for the executor or administrator: the person the court authorizes to collect assets, pay valid debts, and distribute what remains to the heirs or beneficiaries.
Is the kit really free?
Yes. The kit is free general information, not legal advice, and downloading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
What if there was no will?
Then the estate passes under Florida’s intestacy statute and still goes through probate. The kit covers intestate estates, and our who-inherits tool shows the exact shares.
Paul Kogan
Fort Lauderdale Litigation Attorney, The Kogan Firm, P.A.
- 17+ years
- Florida Bar
- Martindale Peer Rated
Probate, Handled
Let us take the process off your plate.
Tell us what happened in a free 15-minute call. We will tell you which Florida probate applies and what it costs, flat fee for summary administration.
This kit is general information about Florida law and does not constitute legal advice. Downloading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Probate rules and deadlines turn on the specific facts of each estate, so confirm your situation with an attorney before acting.
Related Articles
Further reading
Florida Summary Administration: $150K Limit
Florida's summary administration threshold doubled to $150K for deaths on or after July 1, 2026. Here's what that means for families navigating probate.
Summary vs Formal Administration in Florida
Learn when Florida allows summary administration and how it differs from formal probate proceedings.
How to Start Probate in Broward County
Filing for probate in Broward County starts at the courthouse in Fort Lauderdale. Here's exactly what to do, step by step.