Want to know which approach fits your situation? A free role check points you to the right next step.
Start the free role checkWhy people avoid probate
Florida probate is court-supervised: it can take months, the filings become a public record, and it adds administrative cost. Passing assets outside probate can be faster, more private, and simpler for your family — though it takes planning while you're alive.
Common ways Floridians avoid probate
A funded revocable living Trust
Assets retitled into a revocable living Trust pass to your beneficiaries outside probate, while you keep full control during life. “Funding” — actually transferring assets in — is what makes it work.
Beneficiary, POD & TOD designations
Retirement accounts, life insurance, and many bank and brokerage accounts let you name a beneficiary (or “payable-on-death” / “transfer-on-death”), so they pass directly to that person without probate.
Joint ownership with survivorship
Property held jointly with right of survivorship — including tenancy by the entireties between spouses — generally passes to the survivor automatically, outside probate.
A Florida enhanced life estate (“Lady Bird”) deed
For real property, Florida allows an enhanced life estate deed that lets you keep control during life and pass the property to named beneficiaries at death without probate. Whether it fits depends on your facts.
Small-estate options
When an estate is small or the death was long ago, Florida's summary administration or disposition without administration can avoid full formal probate — simpler, though still a court process.