Most Florida families assume a simple last will and testament is enough to pass their assets smoothly to loved ones. It’s not. Even with a properly executed will, many of your most valuable assets still must go through probate  – the formal court-supervised process. According to the Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator, there were 67,808 probate filings  in FY 2024-25 (part of 141,166 total circuit probate-related cases). That means thousands of Florida families e

If you’re a Florida homeowner wondering whether adding your children or grandchildren to a quitclaim deed with survivorship rights will let the property pass straight to them when you’re gone—without probate, without headaches, and without surprises—you’re not alone. A common question we hear is exactly like this one: “My mom did a quitclaim deed with survivorship. Her name is first, then her 34-year-old grandson and 24-year-old granddaughter. Will it go straight to them when

Quick Answer:   Are online legal documents safe to use?  While platforms like LegalZoom and LegalShield offer discounted, hands-off templates for LLCs and wills, they carry significant hidden risks. Because these platforms have strict "no liability" clauses and do not provide actual legal advice, mistakes are common [1]. Fixing these errors often costs significantly more in litigation or probate fees—sometimes draining up to 10% of an estate's value [2]—than hiring an attorn

When a loved one passes away, one of the first questions families ask is what happens to the money left in their bank accounts — especially if the person wasn’t married and didn’t have a will. Let’s walk through a real-world scenario that illustrates how Florida law handles this situation and how to make sure your loved one’s money ends up where it should. The Situation: A Gift, a Bank Account, and an Unmarried Partner A mother gifted each of her children $13,000 . One of her