There seems to be more confusion these days regarding the costs (expenses) associated with a probate administration in Florida. Let me try to clear things up:
Attorneys fees are determined by whatever agreement you have made with your attorney. These fees are compensation for the attorneys and law firm staff who are working on your case.
Costs (expenses) on the other hand, are characterized as those items that you must pay for towards the filing or proper administration of your case.
Note: these are not monies collected for the attorney or law firm.
Items such as:
- Clerk’s filing fees – typically $345-$400
- Notice to Creditor publication fees – typically $100-200
- Miscellaneous costs such as postage, recording & certification – varies but typically <$100
- Personal Representative’s Bond: court imposed insurance to preserve the integrity of the administration process – Varies based on value of the estate assets and court’s discretion
Again, these costs are in addition to attorney’s fees and are standard in nearly all probate cases with some exceptions.
