A personal representative or executor manages an estate. They must communicate with the probate courts about the status of the estate. If there is an estate plan, the personal representative must follow the deceased party’s instructions. If there is no estate plan, then they generally need to follow the law regarding the distribution of property.
In either case, multiple hearings in probate court may be necessary. Many people who eventually pass in Florida relocated to the Sunshine State. Their families may still live elsewhere.
Do personal representatives who live outside of Florida need to travel back to the state repeatedly during estate administration for court hearings?
An attorney can minimize appearance demands
Managing Florida probate proceedings from out of state can be especially challenging. If a personal representative lives elsewhere, it can be quite costly and time-consuming to travel to Florida repeatedly.
They may need to do so occasionally to secure assets and take other key steps, but they can potentially minimize the number of trips and even the length of their stay by hiring a local attorney.
A probate attorney helps personal representatives ensure that they fulfill all of their obligations. They can also attend court hearings on behalf of the personal representative. Typically, the estate itself takes responsibility for the cost of legal representation during the state administration.
Personal representatives can protect themselves and more effectively manage the responsibilities of estate administration with the support of a lawyer. Hiring an attorney to assist with probate proceedings can be beneficial for those expecting to administer an estate in Florida while living elsewhere.