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Rachel Schadt, Esq.
FL Bar #127500 · 3rd-gen attorney
Florida Bar member · all 67 Florida counties · flat-fee probate
New Florida lawEffective July 1, 2026CS/HB 1337 · ch. 2026-57Filed under: Florida probate · Reform
— From the desk of Rachel Schadt
The summary administration limit just doubled to $150,000.
Thousands more Florida estates now qualify for the fast, cheap path. We literally wrote the explainer — and the calculator that shows whether you qualify under the new rules.
Probate is the legal process of moving things out of a dead person's name and into the names of the living people (or trusts, or charities) who inherit them.
In Florida, it happens in circuit court. A judge confirms the will (if there is one), appoints someone to handle things, and signs off when the work is done.
The simple version
“Court-supervised paperwork that turns ‘theirs’ into ‘yours.’”
Most law firms feel like law firms. We feel like a friend who happens to be a really good attorney.
High tech, high touch. Plenty of robotic firms in Florida — few real, connected people. We pick up the phone. We text back. We say things in plain English. And the work itself? Done cleanly, on schedule.
Calm
Procedural, not theatrical.
Probate is a few months of competent paperwork. Done well, you barely notice it.
Clear
Plain English, flat fees.
No invoice surprises. No "billable hours" anxiety. The price is the price.
Close
A real human, not a portal.
A real person answers your texts. We sit at the same desk three generations of Schadts have.
We handle the four to six months of paperwork between someone dying and their estate closing — cleanly, on flat fees, with a real human texting you back.
Summary administration
Estates under $150k. Filed, noticed, closed.
$1,950
Formal administration
Larger estates, full PR appointment & accounting.
$2,950+
Ancillary administration
Out-of-state decedents with Florida property.
$2,450
Trust administration
No court — but still a process. We run it.
$3,000+
Will & trust drafting
Plan now so your family skips probate later.
$1,200+
All fees flat, published, written into your engagement letter. No “discovery meetings.” No surprise invoices.
Most law firms make you book a call to learn anything. We don't. Use these, get answers, then decide if you want to talk.
Tool · 2 minutes
Probate Eligibility Quiz
1 / 4
Did the person live in Florida?
Roughly how much did they own (excluding the homestead house)?
When did they pass away?
Did they leave a will?
Likely path
Disposition Without Administration
Very small estate — typically just final-expense reimbursement. §735.301 has no flat cap: the ceiling is the preferred funeral expenses plus the last 60 days of medical bills. If the death was intestate and over a year ago, §735.304 allows up to $20,000 of non-exempt personal property on top of that. The simplest path; one form, no PR appointment.
This is a guide, not legal advice. Your situation may have nuances we'd want to discuss.
Likely path
Formal Administration
Non-exempt assets are over the $75,000 cap that applies to deaths before July 1, 2026 — the higher $150,000 cap turns on the date of death, not the filing date. Formal administration it is. Still routine for us.
Under FS 732.102(2), the surviving spouse takes the entire intestate estate when all descendants are also descendants of the surviving spouse and the spouse has no other descendants.
Florida law would distribute
50%
50%
Surviving Spouse
50%
Children (split equally)
50%
Under FS 732.102(3), when at least one descendant is from a prior relationship, the surviving spouse takes half and the decedent's descendants split the other half per stirpes.
Florida law would distribute
100%
Surviving Spouse
100%
Under FS 732.102(1), the surviving spouse inherits the entire intestate estate when there are no surviving descendants.
Florida law would distribute
100%
Children (split equally)
100%
Under FS 732.103(1), the decedent's descendants take everything; FS 732.104 distributes it per stirpes — a predeceased child's share passes to their own children.
Florida law would distribute
100%
Parents (split equally)
100%
Under FS 732.103(2), parents take equally if both are living. If only one survives, that parent takes everything.
Homestead, exempt property, and family allowance follow separate rules — see our guides for details.
Most law firms feel like law firms. We feel like a friend who happens to be a really good attorney.
High tech, high touch. There are plenty of robotic firms in Florida. Few real, connected people. We pick up the phone. We text back. We say things in plain English. And the work itself? Done cleanly, on schedule.
01 — Calm
Procedural, not theatrical
Probate is a few months of competent paperwork. Done well, you barely notice it happening.
02 — Clear
Flat fees, published
You see the price before you call. No discovery meetings. No mystery invoices.
03 — Connected
Real humans
A real person texts you back. Tools that actually work. A reputation built on results.
“Rachel was great at taking care of our estate planning. She patiently explained in detail and worked with us to fit our schedule. I learned so much and got a peace of mind.”
ShirleyHired · November 2022
Elder law
“Rachel was absolutely the best! She was very professional and very compassionate with our case. She was very reliable and always returned our phone calls or emails promptly. She explained everything to us step by step. She went above and beyond helping us. We would definitely recommend Rachel and will use her again in the future for our legal needs.”
VickiHired · June 2022
Wills & trusts
“I chose this attorney based on reviews in a neighborhood website. I needed her services to make sure my father's will from another state, would be valid here in Florida. The attorney clarified what legal issues could be encountered and explained in simple laymen's terms, why an updated will would be necessary. I also am having her review our trust and am working on updating that as well. I highly recommend this legal group. The attorney was very knowledgeable about elder law and ethics.”
KathrynHired · April 2022
Wills & probate
“I received excellent service from this firm and staff via phone calls or email. Correspondence was always clear, all questions were answered and explained in detail. I would recommend this firm to others.”
LuveniaHired · January 2022
Health care directives
“Working with Rachel as my lawyer was all around a great experience. She is an expert in her field, highly professional, responsive in a timely manner, and most of all I trusted her with my case. I would highly recommend her as a lawyer and would use her again.”
AmandaHired · January 2022
Elder law
“It has been a great experience working with Mrs. Schadt to help with a family member's Will, Health Care Proxy and Power of Attorney. She is a great listener and patiently guided us on how to protect our assets and broke everything down into simpler terms. She helped answer every question we had in detail and was receptive to making sure everything worked out according to our situation and needs. I am amazed how smooth everything turned out. I highly recommend Mrs. Schadt's legal services. Thank you Mrs. Schadt for all of your hard work.”
SheliaHired · January 2022
Reviews collected independently by Lawyers.com and shown as written. Every matter is different; a past result does not guarantee a similar outcome in your case. Read all 8 on Lawyers.com →
Service area
Sarasota first. All 67 counties.
Home base in the 12th Judicial Circuit. Remote-friendly across Florida — we know the e-filing quirks and judicial preferences in every county we serve.
If you've just done probate, plan so your family never has to.
Every probate close becomes a planning conversation. Revocable trusts, Lady Bird deeds, snowbird coordination, durable POAs — done in plain English, flat-fee, designed to last.
Skip probate entirely. Stay in control while alive.
Lady Bird Deed
Pass the home automatically. Florida-specific.
Snowbird Plans
Two-state coordination. No surprises.
Durable POA Suite
Healthcare, financial, HIPAA. Done right.
Intake paused · reopens late October 2026
You're going to get through this.
Rachel is not accepting new clients until late October 2026. Every guide, calculator, county page, and statute page here stays free. Leave your details and we'll call when intake reopens — or, if your matter can't wait, The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service refers you to another Florida attorney taking cases now.