Sarasota County probate and estate planning. Serving Sarasota, Venice, North Port, Siesta Key, Osprey, Nokomis, Englewood, and communities throughout Sarasota County.
Suncoast Legal PLLC handles probate administration and estate planning for individuals and families throughout Sarasota County. When a loved one passes away, Attorney Anthony Thomas guides families and personal representatives through every stage of the Sarasota County probate process — from the initial filing through distribution and closing. He also works with clients planning ahead to minimize or avoid probate entirely.
Sarasota County attracts retirees, artists, professionals, and families drawn by its waterfront communities, cultural institutions, and year-round climate. Many Sarasota County residents own barrier island or waterfront properties, significant retirement assets, or have family spread across multiple states. Suncoast Legal works with clients at all stages of probate and estate administration — one attorney for every matter, with no handoffs to associates or paralegals.
Sarasota County probate matters are handled through the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court, which covers Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto counties. When a Sarasota County resident passes away with assets held solely in their individual name, those assets generally must pass through probate before they can be distributed to heirs or beneficiaries.
Suncoast Legal guides Sarasota County families and personal representatives through every phase of the process: determining which type of administration applies, preparing and filing court petitions, publishing the Notice to Creditors, managing the creditor claims period, valuing and distributing estate assets, and closing the estate.
Probate ServicesA sound estate plan answers three fundamental questions: who receives your assets, who makes decisions on your behalf if you cannot, and who carries out your wishes after you are gone. For Sarasota County residents, the foundational documents are a Last Will and Testament, a Health Care Surrogate Designation, a Durable Power of Attorney, and a HIPAA Authorization.
For clients with properties on Siesta Key, Casey Key, or Longboat Key, investment and retirement portfolios, closely held business interests, or beneficiaries with specific needs, we design trust-based estate plans that avoid probate, preserve privacy, and provide for family members across generations.
Estate Planning ServicesClients throughout Sarasota County receive the same focused attention and direct attorney access regardless of where they are located. In-person and remote consultations are available.
Probate matters for Sarasota County residents are filed with the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court, which also covers Manatee and DeSoto counties. The Sarasota County courthouse is located in downtown Sarasota. Most probate proceedings are handled through attorney filings — the personal representative and beneficiaries generally do not need to appear in court — but all documents must comply with the circuit's local rules and procedures.
Florida's 2026 probate reforms increased the Summary Administration threshold to $150,000, making the faster, less costly Summary Administration process available to more Sarasota County families. Estates at or below that value in probate assets — or estates where the decedent has been deceased for more than two years — may qualify for Summary Administration rather than the longer Formal Administration process.
Probate is often unfamiliar territory for families dealing with a loss. The Sarasota County process — filing with the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, publishing the Notice to Creditors, managing creditor claims, valuing estate assets, and closing the estate — involves procedural requirements that most families have never encountered. Having an attorney who handles the entire process personally, without delegating to staff or junior associates, means fewer delays and a cleaner path to closing.
Sarasota County's population includes a significant number of retirees with assets accumulated over a lifetime — retirement accounts, investment portfolios, barrier island real estate, and personal property. These assets can complicate the probate process, particularly when property is titled in ways that create questions about what goes through probate and what passes outside of it. Suncoast Legal works through these specifics carefully and advises families on how to plan ahead to reduce or eliminate the need for probate.
Serving clients throughout Sarasota County. In-person and remote consultations available.
Sarasota County probate matters are filed with the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court, located at the Sarasota County Courthouse in downtown Sarasota. The Twelfth Circuit also covers Manatee and DeSoto counties. Most probate proceedings are handled entirely through attorney filings without requiring court appearances by the personal representative or beneficiaries, but all documents must comply precisely with the circuit's local rules and procedures.
The timeline depends on which type of proceeding is required. Summary Administration — available when the estate's probate assets total $150,000 or less, or when the decedent has been deceased for more than two years — can often be completed in four to eight weeks when filings are properly prepared. Formal Administration typically takes six months to a year or longer, because Florida law requires a creditor notice period of at least three months from the date of first publication. Estates with real property in multiple states, contested claims, or complex assets may take considerably longer.
In almost all cases, yes. Florida law requires that formal probate proceedings be handled by a licensed Florida attorney. Even Summary Administration requires properly prepared court petitions and legal filings. Attempting to navigate probate without legal counsel frequently results in rejected filings, unnecessary delays, and personal liability for the personal representative. An attorney familiar with the Twelfth Judicial Circuit's procedures helps ensure the process moves efficiently from the outset.
Florida homestead law provides significant protections — and restrictions — for residential property. The homestead exemption protects a primary residence from most creditors, which can be a major benefit during probate. However, homestead property also carries restrictions on how it can be devised: a married person cannot leave homestead property to anyone other than their spouse without the spouse's consent, and homestead passing to minor children requires court oversight. For Sarasota County residents with significant real estate, understanding how homestead interacts with the estate plan is essential to avoiding unintended outcomes.
Real property — including Siesta Key, Casey Key, Longboat Key, and other Sarasota County waterfront and barrier island properties — held solely in the decedent's individual name is a probate asset and must pass through the probate process before it can be transferred to heirs or sold. Placing real property into a revocable living trust, or titling it with right of survivorship, avoids probate and allows the property to pass directly to beneficiaries without court involvement. For high-value or complex properties, coordinating title, homestead status, and estate planning is particularly important.
Many assets pass outside of probate entirely, including assets held in a revocable living trust, accounts with named beneficiaries (retirement accounts, life insurance, payable-on-death and transfer-on-death bank and brokerage accounts), property held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship, and Florida homestead property passing to a surviving spouse or lineal descendants under certain conditions. Probate applies primarily to assets held solely in the decedent's individual name without a beneficiary designation. Thoughtful estate planning can reduce or eliminate the need for probate for most families.
Suncoast Legal provides clear, practical guidance for families and personal representatives navigating Florida probate. Schedule a consultation to discuss your situation.
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