Florida Estate Administration From Start to Finish
Credits Available
| Credit | Status | Total | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida CLE |
|
8 Total | 12-31-2025 |
| Florida Registered Paralegal |
|
8 Total | 12-31-2025 |
Buy This Course
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Overview
A Comprehensive Step-By-Step Guide to Estate Administration
Whether you're new to estate administration or need a basic refresher, this course will provide you with a comprehensive overview of estate administration, including proper asset valuation and distribution, taxation, and account closing procedures. You'll also learn how to correctly deal with thorny estate administration debt issues, including jointly held assets, business ownership and complex tax issues. Equip yourself with real-life, practical knowledge to ensure you are fully prepared to handle the entire estate administration process from start to finish - register today!
- Learn how to meet every deadline, follow procedures, and complete essential forms.
- Identify key estate administration pitfalls you need to avoid.
- Come away with helpful forms, sample documents, and checklists to assist in the process.
- Acquire strategies to ensure you can help your clients through every step of the probate process.
- Manage your client's entire estate administration procedures properly and effectively.
- Learn how to tackle complex estate administration issues such as tax issues, jointly held assets, and will contests.
- Understand how to properly transfer and distribute assets.
- Explore proper procedures and processes when dealing with insurance claims and debt during estate administration.
- Gain a better understanding of the probate court's procedures so that you can avoid common pitfalls and mistakes.
- Get the latest information on allowances and elections against the will.
- Identify how to properly distribute assets to minors, surviving spouses and trusts.
Abbreviated Agenda
- Commencement of Proceedings and Information Gathering
- Initial Steps to the Estate Administration Process
- Marshalling Assets
- Handling Creditor Claims and Debt
- Complex Issues in Estate Administration
- Distribution and Closing of the Estate
- Handling Estate Administration Tax Issues
- Ethics and Estate Administration
Credit Details
Credits Available
| Credit | Status | Total | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida CLE |
|
8 Total | 12-31-2025 |
| Florida Registered Paralegal |
|
8 Total | 12-31-2025 |
Select Jurisdiction
CLE
Paralegal
Agenda
-
Commencement of Proceedings and Information Gathering
- Appointment of Estate Administration
- Formal vs. Informal Proceedings
- Sample Letters of Authority
- First Meeting With Family or Designated Personal Representative and Determination of Heirs
- Written Fee Agreements
- Tips to Locate Information Quickly Using Online and Government Resources
- Dealing with Multiple States
- Appointment of Estate Administration
-
Initial Steps to the Estate Administration Process
- Understanding the Laws of Intestacy
- Sample Estate Administration Checklists, Forms and Required Notices Needed
- Interpreting Provisions and Terms of Art Found in Wills
- Using Disclaimers Correctly
-
Marshalling Assets
- Procedures to Locating and Marshalling Probate and Non-Probate Assets
- Safe Deposit Boxes and Bank Accounts
- Real Estate
- Brokerage Accounts, 401Ks, IRAs, Pensions and Life Insurance Policies
- Sample Forms and Documents Needed
- Appraisers and Valuing the Property of Probate Estates
- Procedures to Locating and Marshalling Probate and Non-Probate Assets
-
Handling Creditor Claims and Debt
- Sample Forms and Required Notices Needed
- Priority and Payment of Claims
- Late Claims and Contested Claims
- Steps to Ensure all Debt is Located and Handled Correctly
- What if the Assets Don't Cover the Bills?
- Bankruptcy and Foreclosure
- Selling of Assets and Properly Dealing with Creditors
-
Complex Issues in Estate Administration
- Jointly Held Assets
- Spousal Claims
- Allowances and Elections Against the Will
- Handling Unmarried Couples and Stepchildren
- Will Contests, Trust and Estate Disputes
- Business Ownership
- Agency Problems Involving Guardianships, Conservatorships, Powers of Attorney or Other Agency Relationships
-
Distribution and Closing of the Estate
- Sample Forms, Agreements and Documents Needed
- Proper Transferring and Distribution of Probate and Non-Probate Assets and Timing of Distributions
- Real Estate
- 401Ks, IRAs, Pensions and Life Insurance Policies
- Distribution of Miscellaneous Assets (Automobiles, Jewelry, Etc.)
- Distributions in Kind
- Distribution to Minors, Surviving Spouse and Trusts
- Disposition of Unclaimed Assets
- Proper Settlement of the Estate
- Formal and Informal Estate Accountings
- Choosing the Appropriate Closing Procedure
- Compensation and Discharge of the Personal Representative
-
Handling Estate Administration Tax Issues
- Examples of Forms Needed
- Federal and State Estate Tax Considerations
- Income Tax Issues for the Estate and the Heirs
- Resolving Disputes With Taxing Authorities
- Deductions and Exemptions
- How the Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Affects Your Clients
- Tax Deadlines and Handling Extensions
- Sales of Real Property
-
Ethics and Estate Administration
- Breach of Fiduciary Responsibility
- Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
- Attorney-Client Privilege
- Fee Agreements
Who Should Attend
This basic level online seminar is designed for professionals who want to be more effective in the estate administration process, such as:
- Attorneys
- CPAs and Accountants
- Paralegals
- Wealth Managers
- Tax Professionals
- Trust Officers
Speakers
Speaker bio
Dr. Adam Scott Goldberg
, J.D., LL.M, ED.D is a partner in the law firm of Revis, Hervas & Goldberg P.A. in Weston, Florida. He practices in the areas of tax, estate planning, probate and trust administration and tax-exempt organizations. Mr. Goldberg earned his J.D. degree from Nova Southeastern University, his Masters of Law degree (LL.M.) in estate planning from the University of Miami, and his Doctor of Education (Ed.D) degree from Nova Southeastern University. He is the chairman of the Exempt Organizations Committee of the Florida Bar. Mr. Goldberg is also the past president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Tax Council, West Broward Estate Planning Council, Broward Planned Giving Council and American Lung Association of the Southeast. He has authored numerous articles in the areas of estate planning, probate, charitable giving and tax-exempt organizations. Additionally, Mr. Goldberg frequently lectures on these subjects for groups and organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, the National Safety Council, Florida Institute of CPA's, Miami Police Department, Northern Trust Bank and Morgan Stanley. He is an Adjunct Professor at both the Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center and University of Miami Law School.
Speaker bio
Oscar A. Sanchez
is a frequent presenter on the topic of professional ethics. He currently serves on the Professional Ethics Committee of The Florida Bar, and he is a past-chair of The Florida Bar Alternative Dispute Resolution Section. Mr. Sanchez is a Florida Supreme Court certified circuit and appellate mediator, a Florida Supreme Court qualified arbitrator, and is on the roster of the American Arbitration Association Master Mediators Panel. He is a member of the National Association of Distinguished Neutrals. Before founding his statewide mediation firm OAS Mediation, he was an equity partner in an AMLaw 100 law firm. Mr. Sanchez is a graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, earning membership in the Order of the Coif.
Speaker bio
Liz C. Messianu
is a partner in the Miami office of Wicker Smith. She has over 20 years of experience practicing in the areas of probate-estate planning, guardianship administration and litigation, estate and trust administration, real estate transactions, and wealth preservations for individuals. Ms. Messianu handles all aspects of estate and trust matters, including probate and trust administration, representing beneficiaries in our courts, with a strong emphasis on litigation involving probate matters, estates, trusts, and contested guardianships. She earned her B.B.A. degree from Florida International University, and her J.D. and LL.M. degrees from the University of Miami School of Law. Ms. Messianu is fluent in Spanish and is an active member of The Florida Bar, Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar, Dade County Bar Association, and the Miami-Dade Probate Bar Association.
Speaker bio
Spiro J. Verras
is the founding attorney and president of Verras Law, P.A., which maintains locations in Palm Harbor, St. Petersburg and Tampa. His current practice focuses on estate planning, probate and trusts, elder law, guardianships, corporate and commercial transactions. Mr. Verras is active in bar organizations, including the Clearwater Bar Association and the Hillsborough County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Real Property Probate and Trust Law, and Elder Law sections of The Florida Bar; Trusts, Estate, Probate and Immovable Property Law Section of the Louisiana State Bar Association; and Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law and LGBT Law sections of the State Bar of Texas. In addition to his state bar memberships, he has been admitted to practice in local and federal district courts, U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Verras is also a member of the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. He earned his B.A. degree from Yale University and his J.D. degree from Tulane Law School.
Speaker bio
Michael A. Lampert
is a board-certified tax lawyer in private practice in West Palm Beach, where his practice emphasizes the areas of taxation, estate, and business planning with a special emphasis on tax controversy matters. Mr. Lampert has lectured extensively before both professional and community organizations. He is past chair of The Florida Bar Tax Section and has served as education division director, administration division co-director and long range planning division co-director. Mr. Lampert is past president of the Palm Beach Tax Institute, has served as chair of the Tax Law Committee of the Palm Beach County Bar Association, and served for six years on the Tax Law Certification Committee of The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. He is a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, selected as a Super Lawyer in Florida Super Lawyers, and is a member of the Gulf Coast Tax Exempt/Government Entity Council. Mr. Lampert earned his A.B. degree from the University of Miami, his J.D. degree from Duke University, and his LL.M. degree in taxation from New York University.
Speaker bio
Patricia D. Blanco
is an attorney in the Miami office of Wicker Smith. She practices in the areas of estates, trusts, guardianship, and real estate matters. Ms. Blanco handles all facets of estate and guardianship administration, as well as complex estate and guardianship litigation. She earned her B.S. degree from Florida International University and her J.D. degree from St. Thomas University School of Law. Ms. Blanco is admitted to practice in Florida and is fluent in Spanish.
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