• Our People
  • Testimonials
  • Why Choose Us?
  • FAQs
  • News & Press
  • Contact Us
(561) 210-5500
logo
(561) 210-5500
Menu
  • Florida
    Probate
    • Asset Transfer
    • Estate Administration
    • Estate Planning for Survivors
    • Estate Tax Returns
    • Creditor Claims
    • Counties Servicing
    • Designated Beneficiaries
    • Lack of Capacity
    • Trust Administration
    • Undue Influence
  • Ancillary
    Probate
  • Probate
    Litigation
  • Professional
    Executor
  • Wrongful
    Death

Contact Us

Get A 30 minute Free Consultation

Contact Us

FAQs / Wills / Trusts

How Can I Find Out If There Was A Will?

For those wondering how to find out if someone has a will in Florida, it is unusual for a Last Will and Testament to be deposited with the court prior to death.
 

1) Search For the Will

Most original Wills are held by the decedent among their personal belongings, so the first place to search for a Will should be inside the decedent’s home, or possibly in a safe deposit box owned by the decedent.
 

2) Contact a Probate Attorney

You should also contact any estate planning attorney the decedent might have had during life in order to request a copy of the Will.
 

3) Search the Probate Court Docket

Once these routes have been exhausted, you can search the probate court docket for the decedent’s name in order to determine if someone deposited a Will, or if anyone initiated probate. The correct court to contact is the probate court located in the county of the decedent’s last residence. Most counties in Florida have probate court records available online. We have all probate court info on each of the county pages linked on our Florida Counties page.
 

4) Last Will and Testament Not on Public Record

Assuming there is no Last Will and Testament on the public record, many families would choose to move forward with an intestate probate administration. If you are certain there is a Will and/or Revocable Trust but the interested parties will not provide you with a copy, you can consult an experienced probate litigation attorney regarding petitioning the probate court to force production of the document. Keep in mind, you must be an interested party to make such a request.

It is important those searching for how to find out if someone has a will know the following:

If you are not named in the Last Will and Testament as a beneficiary, you are generally not entitled to a copy simply because you make a request in Florida.
 

How an Experienced Probate Attorney Can Help

 
If you’re thinking there must be some sort of centralized database or website where you can find a list of the deceased’s assets, you’d be wrong. If the decedent didn’t provide the information to their estate planning attorney, often the family will need to search through the decedent’s residence for the relevant paperwork. Persistent legwork and digging is the main source of uncovering the necessary information. The Florida Probate Firm offers the additional services of professional asset searches for bank accounts, brokerage accounts and life insurance policies, which is optional for our clients.

The assistance and guidance of an experienced probate attorney can make the process a lot less burdensome on yourself and your family. As you uncover outstanding assets, your probate lawyer can assist in creating an accurate accounting of the deceased’s assets and liabilities and help you submit the documentation necessary to comply with state probate laws.

Florida Probate Law Firm

For assistance with this and any other probate matter in Florida contact the Florida Probate Law Firm to arrange a free consultation with an experienced Florida probate and estate planning attorney.

 

Give the Florida Probate Law Firm a call at (561) 210-5500. We look forward to serving you.

 

Related FAQs:

What happens if we cannot find the decedent’s will?

How do you prove a will?

How long is a will valid?

Is a handwritten will valid?

What does a will usually contain?

How can someone see the will of a person who has died?

Wills / Trusts FAQs

  • How Can I Find Out If There Was A Will?
  • Can A Will Be Changed Or Revoked?
  • Can I Specify That Certain People, Like A Brother Or Sister, Should Never Receive Any Of My Property?
  • Can Someone Quit Claim His Property To Me Instead Of Leaving It In His Will?
  • Do I Have To Be In My Home State When I Make My Will?
  • Do Living Trusts Go Through Probate?
  • Does A Trustee Of A Trust Have To Provide An Accounting?
  • Does It Really Take Less Time To Settle An Estate In Which A Revocable Trust Was Used Rather Than Just A Will?
  • Does My Will Have To Be Notarized?
  • How Do You Prove A Will?
  • How Does A Living Trust Avoid Probate?
  • How does a revocable living trust avoid probate?
  • How Long Does It Take to Settle a Trust?
  • How long is a will valid?
  • How often should my will be reviewed?
  • Is a handwritten will valid?
  • My parent died with a will and disinherited me. Can my parent do that in Florida?
  • What are self-proving wills?
  • What are trusts?
  • What benefits does a trust offer?
  • What does died testate vs intestate mean?
  • What does a will usually contain?
  • What does it mean to fund a trust?
  • What happens if we cannot find the decedent’s will?
  • How can someone see the will of a person who has died?
  • What other probate avoiding techniques are there in addition to revocable, aka living, trusts?

Contact Us

Get A 30 minute Free Consultation

Contact Us

Florida Probate

  • Estate Administration
  • Trust Administration
  • Creditor Claims
  • Estate Tax Returns
  • Asset Transfer
  • Estate Planning for Survivors
  • Counties Servicing
  • Ancillary Probate
  • Probate Litigation
  • Professional Executor
  • Wrongful Death
  • Our People
  • Why Choose Us?
  • Testimonials
  • Resources
  • FAQs
  • News & Press
  • COVID Virtual Meetings & Policies

Contact

(561) 210-5500 info@floridaprobatefirm.com
© 2023. Florida Probate Law Firm | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Accessibility
Florida Probate Law Firm
  • Services
    • Florida Probate
      • Asset Transfer
      • Estate Administration
      • Estate Planning for Survivors
      • Creditor Claims
      • Designated Beneficiaries
      • Estate Tax Returns
      • Lack of Capacity
      • Trust Administration
      • Undue Influence
    • Ancillary Probate
    • Probate Litigation
    • Professional Executor
    • Wrongful Death
  • Our People
  • Why Choose Us?
  • News & Press
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us