Being named executor in Florida is a 12–18 month job nobody trained you for. This is the whole sequence — what Florida requires of you, what is merely sensible, and which statute each requirement comes from.
Summary administration available where the estate less property exempt from creditors is at or below this amount, for deaths on or after July 1, 2026. $75,000 for earlier deaths.read at source
$150,000
Fla. Stat. §735.201, as amended by CS/HB 1337 (Ch. 2026-57) · last checked 2026-09-05
Creditor claims barred the later of 3 months after first publication of the notice to creditors, or 30 days after service on a creditor entitled to service.read at source
3 months / 30 days
Fla. Stat. §733.702(1) · last checked 2026-09-05
Custodian of a will must deposit it with the clerk within 10 days of learning of the death.read at source
10 days
Fla. Stat. §732.901 · last checked 2026-09-07
Inventory due within 60 days after letters are issued.not yet confirmed
60 days
Fla. Prob. R. 5.340 · last checked 2026-07
Florida specifics (verify current law with the circuit court or an attorney): the custodian of a will must deposit it with the clerk of court within 10 days of learning of the death (§732.901); formal administration generally requires a licensed Florida attorney unless you are the sole interested person (Fla. Prob. R. 5.030); summary administration may be available if the estate (less property exempt from creditors) is $150,000 or less for deaths on or after July 1, 2026 — $75,000 for earlier deaths — or if the death was more than 2 years ago (§735.201, as amended by Ch. 2026-57); disposition without administration rose to $20,000; notice to creditors is published and claims are generally barred 3 months after first publication (§733.702, §733.2121); the inventory is generally due within 60 days after letters are issued (Fla. Prob. R. 5.340). General information, not legal advice.
Steps are grouped the way the work actually arrives. Required marks a duty backed by a citation; Recommended marks something that protects you or the estate but is not itself a legal obligation.
Nearly every institution requires an original certified copy.
How: Order through the funeral home or the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Florida law requires the will's custodian to deposit it with the clerk within 10 days of learning of the death (§732.901). This is a hard, early deadline.
How: Take the original will to the clerk of the circuit court in the county where they lived.
You are responsible for protecting estate property from loss starting now.
How: Lock up, collect keys, consider re-keying, keep utilities on for now.
The mail reveals accounts and bills you don't know about.
How: USPS forwarding as 'personal representative for the estate of…'. Photograph everything into Settle.
Stops benefit payments that would have to be repaid. Survivor benefits are separate — nobody starts them for you.
How: The funeral home usually reports the death — confirm by calling SSA at 1-800-772-1213. If a surviving spouse or child may qualify for survivors benefits or the $255 lump-sum death payment, they must apply themselves; you cannot apply online. Ask about the benefit paid for the month of death, which often has to be returned.
In Florida, formal administration generally requires a licensed attorney unless you are the sole interested person (Fla. Prob. R. 5.030). Budget for this early.
How: Find a Florida probate attorney; many offer flat fees for straightforward estates. Settle keeps your documents and ledger organized to reduce their billable hours.
A simpler, faster process than formal administration if the estate qualifies.
How: Generally available if the estate (less exempt property) is $75,000 or less, or the person died more than 2 years ago (§735.201). Ask your attorney or the clerk.
Opens the estate and gets you Letters of Administration so institutions will deal with you.
How: File in the county where they lived. Your attorney typically prepares this.
Statements, deeds, titles, and tax returns recur constantly through settlement.
How: Photograph everything into Settle as you find it.
Vacancy can limit or void coverage; Florida windstorm/hurricane exposure makes this especially important.
How: Call the insurer and ask about a vacancy endorsement; confirm windstorm coverage is active.
Needed for the estate bank account and tax filings.
How: Free at irs.gov, 15 minutes online.
Never mix estate money with your own.
How: Bring Letters, EIN, and a death certificate to the bank.
Florida creditors are generally barred 3 months after first publication (§733.702, §733.2121); known creditors must be served directly. This clock protects you from late claims.
How: Your attorney publishes the notice and serves known creditors. Track claims in Settle.
Freezes accounts against fraud; starts transfers.
How: Write to each institution with a certified death certificate and, once the court issues them, a copy of your Letters. Log who you contacted and when in Settle so you can show the follow-up trail.
Policies pay beneficiaries directly and often quickly.
How: Call each insurer with policy number + death certificate.
Stops fees and identity theft.
How: Notify issuers, then Equifax, Experian, TransUnion.
Small drains add up over a long settlement.
How: Bank statements and forwarded mail reveal them.
Florida generally requires the personal representative to file an inventory within 60 days after letters are issued (Fla. Prob. R. 5.340).
How: Settle's inventory report gives you the asset list; your attorney files it with the court.
Fla. Prob. R. 5.340 · last checked 2026-07not yet confirmed
Date-of-death values set tax basis and drive distribution. Note Florida homestead property has special protections.
How: Real estate: appraisal or broker opinion. Discuss homestead status with your attorney. Keep reports in Settle.
Protects estate value; Florida sets an order of payment for claims if funds are tight.
How: Estate account only. If the estate may be insolvent, pause and get advice.
A final personal return (and possibly an estate income return) is due; Florida has no state income tax, but federal filing still applies.
How: A CPA experienced with estates is usually worth it — hand them Settle's reports.
Documented expenses come back to you from the estate.
How: Settle's ledger tracks 'paid personally' items; reimburse with a paper trail.
Distributing before the creditor claim period closes and debts/taxes are paid can create personal liability.
How: Follow the will (or Florida intestacy rules). Get signed receipts; keep them in Settle.
The court discharges you as personal representative once the accounting is approved.
How: Generate Settle's Ledger and Inventory reports; your attorney files the final accounting and petition for discharge. Keep records for several years.
Settle builds this checklist into a plan you can actually work
The steps above, ordered for your situation in Florida, with the deadlines on a calendar, your documents attached to the step that needs them, and an expense ledger for everything the estate owes you back. The plan itself is free.
Every figure on this page links to the statute or court source it came from and shows the date we last read it. 2 of the 5 citations on this page carry the “not yet confirmed” tag. That means we recorded the citation from a secondary source and have not yet read it against the primary statute text ourselves. We could have left those rows out and the page would look better — but it would imply the rest were checked too, which is exactly the impression nobody should be given about a court deadline.
The full registry, including everything we have not confirmed, is published at Where the state information comes from. If the court or your attorney gave you a different date, please tell us at [email protected] — it is the fastest way to get it fixed for the next executor.