CALL NOW FOR A Consultation

Probate

Grieving The Recent Loss Of A Family Member? Osenton Law Can Help You Resolve Their Estate Through Probate As Quickly & Efficiently As Possible So You Can Move Forward.

Book A Consultation

If you’ve lost someone close to you, allow us to express our sincere sympathy for your loss. Losing a loved one is always hard, and it can be an even more challenging ordeal if it turns out that probate is required. Probate is a Florida court process that typically needs to occur before a deceased person’s assets can be legally transferred to their beneficiaries. Most people have never heard of probate until their loved one passes and don’t know what steps to take next; because navigating probate can be confusing, time-consuming, and expensive, it’s best to work with a local probate lawyer who can explain your options and handle everything for you. Attorney O. Reginald “Reggie” Osenton has been assisting clients with probate and probate litigation for over 33 years. His experience can make a difference! Call his office today to schedule a Consultation and learn more about how he can help make this difficult time easier.

You Can Trust Our Probate Firm To Guide You Every Step Of The Way & Give You The Compassionate, Personal Attention You Deserve.

Probate, which is also known as estate administration, isn’t always necessary in Florida. If your loved one owned their assets jointly, in a trust, or in a lady bird deed (designed for real estate transfers), then you may be able to avoid probate entirely, but if not, you may need to be appointed by the court as a personal representative and oversee the process. 

When you’re mourning, legalities are the last thing you want to deal with. Unfortunately, there are many tasks and responsibilities involved in probate, including, but not limited to,:

  • Submitting the will and other required petitions to the court in order to begin the process
  • Publicly notifying creditors and beneficiaries
  • Inventorying and appraising your loved one’s assets
  • Securing and maintaining them until the estate is settled
  • Paying for any necessary maintenance services until the estate is settled
  • Collecting your loved one’s life insurance benefits
  • Negotiating and settling outstanding debts
  • Filing final tax returns and paying outstanding taxes
  • Keeping detailed records of fiduciary actions and consolidating those records into final accounting
  • Distributing assets to beneficiaries
  • Paying court costs and fees associated with the process
  • Filing a final petition to close the estate

There are also many fees and deadlines involved with each of these steps. Making mistakes along the way or failing to meet deadlines can cause you to incur additional fees or can prolong the process, which already takes (on average) six – nine months to complete. If family conflict arises over the contents of/validity of the will, or over your decisions as the personal representative, you could have to navigate a lawsuit, which could further increase the costs and time associated with probate. Having a Florida probate lawyer lead you through the process (and defend your claim to the estate, if necessary) can save you tremendous amounts of time, money, and stress. 

At Osenton Law, P.A., we take the time to listen to you and answer your questions so that you can feel confident in the journey ahead. We can explain whether your loved one’s estate will need to go through formal administration (traditional probate), or if it can qualify for summary administration (an expedited form of probate when the value of the estate is less than $75,000). Our lead probate attorney, O. Reginald “Reggie” Osenton, has extensive knowledge of probate law, estate planning law, civil litigation, and bankruptcy law; his experience can give you an enormous advantage against any legal challenges you may come up against in the course of probate. Our firm offers affordable fee arrangements that we tell you about upfront so you don’t have to worry about any surprises. We can also help you take the steps to prevent your family from having to go through probate when you eventually pass. Call today to schedule a Consultation with us and discuss your situation.

Book A Consultation

Osenton Law, P.A.

Why Choose Us?

Consultations

35 Years Of Experience

Long-Term Client Relationships

Predictable Legal Fees

Call us

(813) 776-1282