Probate is a court-supervised process for settling the financial affairs of a deceased person (decedent). The probate of estates can be a frustrating process, which is why many Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, FL residents turn to Kelk Phillips, P.A. for probate administration assistance.

In general, your late loved one's assets will be used to pay for...

• Probate expenses first
• Funeral expenses second
• Your loved one's outstanding debts third

Probate administration only applies to probate assets, which are assets that were owned in the decedent's name or co-owned and not automatically transferred at death.

Examples of probate assets can include...

• A bank account in your loved one's name only
• Real estate titled in your loved one's name only
• A life insurance policy payable to your loved one's estate

To transfer ownership of assets from the decedent to the decedent's beneficiaries, the assets must go through probate. You must admit your loved one's valid will to probate in the court to start the process. If your loved one had no will, probate is needed to distribute your loved one's assets under Florida law.

Proper administration of estates ensures that the decedent's creditors are paid. The attorneys at Kelk Phillips, P.A. are well-equipped to handle all probate matters, including estate administration.

Contact us today to learn more about the administration of estates in Wellington, Royal Palm Beach & West Palm Beach, FL.