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Husband left no will in Orlando, Florida.

Asked in Orlando, FL - 9 months

My husband's stepfather just recently passed and left no will. He had not been in contact with his children for over 20 years (either in jail or living elsewhere). My mother -in-law is worried that one of his sons (drug addict, felon) will try to come around and collect anything that he may think belongs to him. Without a will, is my mother in law the default recipient of all things left in his estate? Thank you!

Attorney Answers (8)

Steven H. Kane

Steven H. Kane

Maitland Probate Attorney

Licensed in FL

Answered 9 months ago. The answer to your question is pretty straight-forward. By that I mean that your question is completely answered by Section 732.102 of the Florida Statutes. Before reciting the terms of that statute, I will make two assumptions. First, I will assume that mother-in-law was married to husband's step-father at the time of his death. Second, I will assume that the long-lost children you refer to (i.e. the drug addict and felon) are his children and not hers. Assuming that both of these assumptions are true, then Florida law provides that your mother-in-law is entitled to one-half of the estate and his children will split the remaining one-half.
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Francine Rae Martin

Francine Rae Martin

Melbourne Probate Attorney

Licensed in FL

Answered 9 months ago. Under Florida law, a surviving spouse is entitled to a certain portion of a deceased spouse's estate. The children of the decedent may also be entitled to part of the estate. Your mother-in-law should contact a Florida probate attorney to find out exactly what her rights/obligations are.
I would be more than happy to answer any questions your mother-in-law related to her particular situation.

Francine R. Martin, Esq.
(321) 610-7419
francine@brevardprobate.com
The information contained in this posting is provided to you “AS IS” and does not constitute legal advice. I... more
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Robert Jason De Groot

Robert Jason De Groot

Deltona Probate Attorney

Licensed in FL

Answered 9 months ago. Your mother-in-law and her husband probably owned everything, the house, the car, the bank account, as tenants by the entirety. When he died, she survived and still owns everything. If the son comes around, there is nothing for him.
R. Jason de Groot, Esq., 386-337-8239
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Astrid M Elisabeth de Parry

Astrid M Elisabeth de Parry

DeLand Probate Attorney

Licensed in FL

Answered 9 months ago. Assuming his sons were not the sons of your mother-in-law, your mother-in-law would be entitled to one-half of the estate. If the sons are the sons of your mother-in-law, she is entitled to the first $60,000.00 of the estate, plus one-half of the balance of the estate. Additionally, she is entitled to any property that was titled jointly.
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Fred Elliott Glickman

Fred Elliott Glickman

Miami Probate Attorney

Licensed in FL

Answered 9 months ago. I assume that your mother-in-law was married to him at the time of his death. If he left asets with a named beneficiary, such as a bank account or life insurance, the assets go automatically to the beneficiary. If he owned an asset jointly with someone else, in most cases, the survivor gets it. So we are only talking here about assets in his name alone. Under Florida law, these are divided between his wife and children. It makes no difference whether or not he had any contact with the children. However, if the value is less than $60,000, after expenses, debts, etc., then your mother in law, udner Florida law, is entitled to all of it. She also gets certain other benefits as a widow.
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Dennis Michael Phillips

Dennis Michael Phillips

Plantation Estate Planning Attorney

Licensed in FL

Answered 9 months ago. Do you see how your simple question kicks us lawyers into "if this, then that" mode? It's funny here on Avvo; but it could be a real pain (and expensive) for lawyers to come into court arguing for each's client's interests. The lesson is for you and your husband to be sure to do a little planning so that nobody is posting questions about your estates down the road. Start with a no-fee living will. See below.
An offer and a disclaimer: Offer: Visit www.411LegalDox.com to learn about and to create your own Florida Living... more
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Cynthia Irene Waisman

Cynthia Irene Waisman

Clearwater Probate Attorney

Licensed in FL

Answered 9 months ago. Your question does not provide certain information needed to formulate an exact answer. However, it appears that the estate in Florida would pass by intestacy laws. The children may have a stake in the outcome, even though they have criminal backgrounds. This is unfortunate. I suggest contacting a qualified attorney to assist you with this process.
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James P. Frederick

James P. Frederick

Livonia Probate Attorney

Answered 9 months ago. I agree with all of the prior responses. As Attorney Degroot astutely pointed out, we do not have enough information from your summary in order to fully answer your question. If all of the assets were joint, they would pass outside probate and a Will would not affect the distribution to the surviving joint tenant. Any assets with a designated beneficiary likewise bypass probate and any Will. The intestate provisions mentioned by the other attorneys apply ONLY to probate assets.

So the FIRST step is to determine the title to the assets. The next step, in the absence of a Will, is to consider the application of the intestate code.

James Frederick
*** LEGAL DISCLAIMER I am licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan and have offices in Wayne and... more
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