Trust Administration Attorney in Plantation, Florida

Get through this process clearly, correctly, and legally.

If you’re reading this, it’s likely that someone who passed away has named you as the trustee, which means you’re legally responsible for carrying out everything that the trust requires. Suddenly, you’re expected to manage assets, notify beneficiaries, pay debts, file taxes, and distribute property—all while grieving, and all under Florida law.

This is called trust administration, and it is not something to handle without a trust administration attorney. Carryl Law helps Plantation trustees and families get through this process clearly, correctly, and legally. It’s difficult to handle it all on your own properly, and our job is to take the legal side off your back.

What Is Trust Administration, Exactly?

When someone creates a trust and later passes away, the trust needs someone to help with the process. The successor trustee named in the document has to step in and manage the process of wrapping things up. That process is called trust administration.

Under Florida Statutes Chapter 736 (the Florida Trust Code), a trustee has a legally defined set of duties. You are required to act in the best interests of the beneficiaries, keep accurate records, manage assets carefully, and distribute the trust’s property according to its terms. Failing to do this correctly (even unintentionally) can expose you to personal liability, such as lawsuits or legal ramifications.

Florida law does not give trustees a pass for honest mistakes.

This is why so many Plantation families work with a trust administration attorney from the start.

How a Trust Administration Attorney Helps You

Most people named as trustees have never done this before. And that’s ok, you’re not expected to know the process, but Florida law still holds you to it. Here is what’s required at each stage, and exactly how Carryl Law helps you handle it:

Notifying Beneficiaries

Under Florida Statutes § 736.0813, you must formally notify every beneficiary within 60 days of death. Carryl Law drafts and sends every notice for you, in the exact format § 736.0813 requires.

Inventorying and Valuing Assets

Every asset in the trust (real estate, bank accounts, investments, personal property) needs to be listed and valued as of the date of death. Carryl Law can help you know exactly what to gather, and brings in appraisers when needed.

Paying Debts and Expenses

All valid debts must be paid before any beneficiary receives anything. Carryl Law reviews every claim, challenges anything questionable, and confirms when it’s legally safe to move forward with distributions.

Filing Tax Returns

Some estates require a federal estate tax return, a Florida personal property return, or both. Carryl Law identifies what applies to your situation and coordinates with your accountant to make sure everything is filed on time.

Distributing Assets

Once debts and taxes are resolved, beneficiaries receive what the trust says they’re entitled to. Carryl Law reviews the trust, confirms each person’s share, and handles the legal transfer so every distribution is documented and final.

Keeping Records and Accounting

Beneficiaries have the right to request a full accounting at any time under § 736.0813. Carryl Law keeps organized records of every step taken—so if anyone ever asks, you have a clean, complete answer ready.

What Happens if a Trustee Doesn’t Have a Trust Administration Attorney?

Florida law holds trustees personally responsible for mistakes. Under Florida Statutes § 736.1001, if you distribute assets too early, miss a creditor, or skip a required notice, you can be held liable out of your own pocket—not the trust’s.

If a beneficiary files a claim against you, it goes to the 17th Judicial Circuit’s probate division at 201 SE 6th Street in Fort Lauderdale. That process is expensive, stressful, and avoidable. Attorney Nicholas Carryl practices in that court regularly. Most trustees who work with Carryl Law never end up there at all.

Answering Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to go to court to administer a trust?

Usually not. One of the main advantages of a trust over a will is that it typically avoids probate entirely. However, if the trust holds real estate in Broward County, has unresolved creditor claims, or if a beneficiary contests the administration, court involvement can become necessary. If it does, Carryl Law is already familiar with the 17th Judicial Circuit and ready to represent you.

Can I just distribute everything right away and skip the formal process?

No. Florida law gives creditors a period to make claims against a trust estate. Distributing assets before satisfying valid debts can make you personally liable to those creditors. They can target you personally. Carryl Law ensures the proper sequence is followed so you’re protected before anything goes out to beneficiaries.

What if there is no trust, just a will?

Then the estate will go through probate in Broward County instead of trust administration. Carryl Law handles probate as well and can help you understand which process applies and what comes next.

Schedule Your Consultation with Carryl Law

Being named a trustee is a responsibility, not just an honor. If you are handling a trust administration in Plantation or anywhere in Broward County, or if you want to make sure the trust you’re setting up today will be easy to administer later, Carryl Law is ready to help.

Attorney Nicholas Carryl serves Plantation and all of Broward County. Schedule a consultation and get a clear picture of what needs to happen, in what order, and how to protect yourself throughout the entire process.

About Me

Nicholas Carryl

Estate Planning Attorney at Carryl Law Firm ~ +1 (954)-569-5463 ~ nicholas@carryllaw.com

Nicholas Carryl is an authoritative South Florida estate planning and probate attorney whose credentials establish his sectoral expertise, including a Juris Doctor (JD), magna cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University and a Post-graduate Diploma in Taxation with Distinction from the University of London. Further demonstrating his extensive legal education, he also holds the Legal Education Certificate (LEC), the Caribbean equivalent of a JD. His authority is maintained through active membership in key professional bodies, including InterActive Legal, a leading knowledge hub for estate planning specialists.