Tools for Estate Executors in Florida

Probate on a $500,000 estate in Florida costs an estimated $30,600. Attorney fees on a statutory schedule presumed reasonable.

All Planning ahead Settling an estate

14 tools for Florida

How Much Does Probate Cost?

Probate on a $500,000 estate in Florida costs an estimated $30,600. Attorney fees on a statutory schedule presumed reasonable.

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How Much Can an Executor Charge?

Florida sets executor compensation on a statutory schedule that is presumed reasonable — about $15,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 3.0%.

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Do I Need Probate?

Florida sets no dollar limit for its Disposition Without Administration; eligibility turns on other tests.

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What Are the Estate Laws in My State?

Probate on a $500,000 estate in Florida costs an estimated $30,600 and takes 6 months to 9 months for a simple estate, with attorney fees on a statutory schedule presumed reasonable. Estates under $150,000 can use a small-estate procedure instead.

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What Are the Burial and Cremation Laws in My State?

Florida allows you to name your own agent in a signed, written document, and that designation takes priority over the statutory order of next of kin who otherwise control disposition of the remains.

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How Do I Sign Estate Documents?

Find witness, notary, and remote signing requirements for all 50 states.

Check Requirements

Will My Estate Documents Transfer?

Check if estate planning documents signed in one state are valid in another.

Check Portability

Can I Self-File Probate?

Florida has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.

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How Do I Get Appointed as Executor?

In Florida, the Circuit Court appoints the personal representative and the The Circuit Court issues Letters of Administration; every appointment goes through the court.

See the Steps

What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?

In Florida, creditors have 3 months from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.

Check Deadlines

What Happens When an Estate Is Insolvent?

When an estate owes more than it holds, Florida pays the claims in 8 classes in statutory order, beginning with costs and expenses of administration, and compensation of personal representatives and their attorneys.

Check the Payment Order

How Do I Open an Estate Account When Someone Dies?

Compare estate-account opening requirements bank by bank: channels, required documents, and steps.

See Bank Requirements

Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?

Florida has no state income tax, so only the federal final Form 1040 is due for the decedent; a federal estate tax return (Form 706) is required only for estates above $15,000,000.

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What Is the Estate's Personal Property Worth for Probate?

Estimate the fair market value of household items for probate and see how it affects fees.

Estimate Value

Probate costs in Florida typically include attorney fees on a statutory schedule presumed reasonable, executor fees, court filing fees, and publication costs. On a $500,000 estate, total costs run about $30,600, roughly 6% of estate value, varying with complexity. Estimate executor compensation separately with the Florida executor fee calculator.

Florida has no single statewide fill-in petition; the opening document is prepared to statute and filed with the Circuit Court. The Circuit Court issues Letters of Administration after the court grants the petition.

The creditor claim period of 3 months runs from the first publication of the creditor notice, which follows the executor's appointment. Distributing assets before the period has run can leave the executor personally liable for a claim that arrives later.

Florida sets executor compensation on a statutory schedule that is presumed reasonable — about $15,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 3.0%. The statutory amount is the baseline; executors and beneficiaries can agree on a different fee. Executors can waive the fee entirely or accept a reduced amount.

In principle, yes: Florida allows a self-represented person to apply for letters, but it has no standardized statewide probate form, so the opening petition is drafted as a formal legal pleading, and informal probate is not available. Most people in this position work with an attorney; the small-estate procedures remain simpler to handle independently.

Tools for Estate Executors in Florida

The executor of an estate is the person a will names to carry out its terms; without a will, the probate court appoints an administrator to the same role. The court issues letters testamentary or letters of administration, and those letters are what banks and title companies accept as the executor's authority. From there the executor gathers and values the assets, notifies creditors, pays debts and taxes, files the estate's returns, accounts to the court and beneficiaries, and distributes what remains. The executor is paid from the estate at a rate set by state law.

Florida sets executor compensation on a statutory schedule that is presumed reasonable — about $15,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 3.0%. In Florida, creditors have 3 months to present claims after notice, the inventory is due within 60 days of appointment, and the personal representative is discharged by court order.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated September 15, 2026

Legal Sources

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Data sourced from Florida statutes and official state code. How we research.