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More Than 30 Years of Legal Experience

Handling All of your Probate Attorney Needs

When you're seeking legal assistance with probate, wills, estates and trusts in Ormond Beach, Port Orange, Palm Coast, Daytona Beach, Deltona, or surrounding Volusia County areas, Attorney Bonnie A. Berns can help you. She utilizes more than 30 years' legal experience passionately serving our community.

After a loved one passes away, the family is often faced with dividing the estate and distributing assets in the way that the deceased intended. This task can be daunting and time-consuming, however, which is why many families turn to an experienced probate attorney for guidance.

What Is Probate?

Probate is the court process through which a person's assets and property are distributed upon death. The distribution takes place according to the person's last will and testament or, if there was no will, according to the state's intestate laws.

The purpose of probate is to pay off the decedent's creditors and to make sure that remaining assets are distributed to the correct beneficiaries. The probate process can be long and complex, especially with contested wills, but an experienced probate lawyer can help the family resolve matters more efficiently.

How Probate Works In Florida

There are two types of probate in Florida, formal administration and summary administration. Generally speaking, the formal administration process includes the following steps:

  • Gathering all of the decedent's probate property
  • Paying off all of the decedent's creditors and tax debts
  • Collecting any income that is owed to the estate
  • Settling any disputes surrounding the estate
  • Transferring the remaining property to beneficiaries

Bonnie A. Berns, P.A., helps survivors, executors and estate administrators make sure that their loved ones' wishes are met during the estate administration process. To set up a free consultation with our Ormond Beach law firm, please call 386-672-4040 or contact us online.

Without A Will, You Lose Control Over What Matters

A will is a legal document that details how one's assets should be distributed when he or she dies. Although no one likes to think about death, having a plan in place can make sure that your wishes are met. Additionally, effective estate planning can help prevent conflict among your survivors.

Did you know that if you die without a will in place, your assets and property will be distributed according to the state laws of Florida? The result may not be what you wanted, and it could turn your survivors against one another.

If you are the parent of minor children, your will also serves the very important purpose of determining who your children's guardian will be if you die. There is no way of predicting what will happen tomorrow, which is why it's important to prepare today.

No matter what stage of life you are in, Bonnie A. Berns, P.A., can make sure that those you love are provided for when you are no longer here to do so. Call 386-672-4040 or contact us online to set up a free initial consultation.