Probate and Settle an Estate in Florida (Legal Survival Guides)

The book should really be called "How Your Lawyer will Probate and Settle an Estate in Florida", per the following quote in the introduction: "The Florida Probate Rule 5.030 states that every guardian or personal representative, unless the personal representative is also an attorney, must be represented by an attorney." I tried to see if there were any exceptions for avoiding hiring a lawyer, but it was all vague.However, the book provides a checklist as well as summaries of the process for1) Formal Administration with A Will2) Formal Administration without a Will3) Summary Administration with A Will2) Summary Administration without a WillI found the checklist that pertained to my situation along with a brief description of the process to be very useful. I was able to take the checklist and basically highlight the items and attach to corresponding documents as the process unfolded.Everything didn't adhere to the list exactly and the forms weren't identical, but the checklist was close enough for me to be able to make some sense of it all.

I used this book to start a probate process. I think the book gives you the big picture but I would have appreciated a more detailed step by step instruction guide. For instance, the book should have said "make sure that you detail every asset that you list as items to be probated". ( put down vin numbers on cars etc.). Good overview book though.

This is very good info if you want to try to do the probate yourself. I found out 3 minutes into the read, however, that it was going to be mandatory for me to hire an attorney. Even though the estate is very simple (almost no debts/creditors to settle), because it's worth over $75,000, I am required by FL law to hire an attorney. You don't find that out until you've paid for the book that it's going to do you no good.

Overall, the guide was informative, but don't use the forms without additional research! The author DOES mention that the forms may not be correct for your particular county. They weren't. Headers, and signature blocks were incorrect for my county (Brevard). I found other examples of the correct documents online and adjusted accordingly. Simple items, such as providing the court with a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of judgements, seems like info that should have been in the book.

I loved this book (as much as anyone can love a guide to legal affairs). It gave me all the information needed, with just a 15 minute consult with a real lawyer, and getting some good guidance from the County Clerk in Florida. My wife and I used the book to help us create the forms we needed in order to settle an estate without paying $2000 to a lawyer. I feel we pulled a real coup against "the man."

Some of the data my be 4-5 years out of date and the legal forms provided my not be county specific. Still, the book provides very useful information by an experienced Florida attorney, in a clear and well organized fashion.Recommended.

This is a good desk reference anyone attempting to probate an estate in Florida. It would also make an excellent Text Book for any law students taking a Probate Work Shop.

good information but it is out of date with figures representing the 2007 tax year. Though it wold be up to date ....beware!