10/01/2026
Florida quietly doubled the number of families who can skip the long version of probate, and most of them have no idea.
As of July 1, 2026, an estate with $150,000 or less in non-exempt probate assets can use summary administration. The threshold used to be $75,000. That is the streamlined path, and it typically wraps up in weeks to a couple of months rather than the six to twelve months formal administration usually takes.
Two things people get wrong about it:
First, the change is not retroactive. It goes by date of death. If someone passed away before July 1, 2026, the old $75,000 figure still governs their estate.
The second is what counts. It is non-exempt probate assets only. A homestead passing to a spouse or descendants is generally excluded, and anything with a named beneficiary, a payable-on-death designation, or joint ownership with survivorship passes outside probate entirely. It does not count toward the number at all, which means plenty of estates that look far too large on paper actually qualify. It’s worth checking rather than assuming.
Disclaimer: General information only. Not legal advice. Attorney Advertising. Ana M. Veliz, Veliz & Associates, P.A., Coral Gables, FL.
