Category: Blog

Rasor v. Estate of Rasor, — So. 3d —, 2022 WL 945667, 47 Fla. L. Weekly D759 (Fla. March 30, 2022)

Timing really is everything, as the Fourth District explained in its recent opinion in the Rasor v. Estate of Rasor decision of March 30, 2022. 

When someone dies intestate – without a will – and leaves behind property, a probate case will need to be opened to distribute that property to the decedent’s heirs.  An Affidavit of Heirship is a sworn statement – a document which has to be signed by the proposed personal representative in the presence of a notary – that lists the decedent’s known family members at the time of the decedent’s death, and how they are related to the decedent….

Florida Probate Rule 5.400, entitled “Distribution and Discharge”, requires a personal representative to file a final accounting and a petition for discharge, together with a plan of distribution.  This is filed once the personal representative has completed their administration process and are about to distribute the last remaining assets.  One of the items which is also part of the petition for discharge is listing the compensation paid or proposed to be paid. …

Generally speaking, a personal representative is charged with a fiduciary duty to administer the estate for the interest of its beneficiaries, and is required to observe the same standards of care as trustees.  Fla. Stat. 733.602(1).

A personal representative’s duties are set forth in the Florida Probate Code (Fla.

When someone dies in Florida, their original last will is to be deposited – or filed – in the probate court, in the county where that person resided.  The parameters for this are set forth in Florida Statute 732.901 (which states, in relevant part):

732.901 Production of wills.—…

The custodian of a will must deposit the will with the clerk of the court having venue of the estate of the decedent within 10 days after receiving information that the testator is dead.

One may wonder what happens when additional property is discovered after an estate is closed and distributions are made to the beneficiaries.  For example, a life insurance policy, an unknown bank account, or perhaps some stocks may be discovered after the estate is closed.

In Florida, the method for dealing with this later-discovered additional property is governed by Florida Statute 733.903 and Florida Probate Rule 5.460 for “Subsequent Administration”. …

Pets become members of your family.  You love them dearly, care for them and want to be sure they are also loved and cared for if they survive you after you die.  You may wish to consider including provisions for them in your estate plan. If do not have provisions for your pet in your estate planning documents, then you may wonder how your pet will be cared for after your death….

Effective on July 1, 2021, the Florida legislature expanded its slayer statutes, to now include provisions to disinherit those persons who “abuse, neglect, exploit, or commit aggravated manslaughter” against an elderly or disabled person. See Fla. Stat. 733.303, 732.8031, and 736.1104. 

If the person in question has been convicted by a court of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or aggravated manslaughter against the decedent, this creates a “rebuttable presumption” in favor of disinheritance. …

Florida Statute 732.502 requires the following for a will to be valid:

Execution of wills.—Every will must be in writing and executed as follows:

(1)(a) Testator’s signature.—

1. The testator must sign the will at the end; or

2. The testator’s name must be subscribed at the end of the will by some other person in the testator’s presence and by the testator’s direction….

Electronic wills were authorized when the Florida Senate voted unanimously on HB 409, and the bill was subsequently signed into law.  This new legislation can be found in Fla. Stat. 732.521 through 732.525.

This is a big change in Florida law, because in addition to having the requisite testamentary capacity, Florida traditionally required strict compliance with the will execution rules, particularly Fla….