House Bill 1337 amends various sections of Florida Statutes concerning the administration of decedents' estates, focusing on the roles of lessors of safe-deposit boxes and personal representatives. Key provisions include a requirement for lessors to grant access to safe-deposit boxes and deliver contents to personal representatives upon presentation of authority. The bill also introduces a mandate for courts to award taxable costs and attorney fees in proceedings related to the enforcement of personal representatives' authority, with the possibility of payment from interested parties. Additionally, it raises the estate value limit for summary administration from $75,000 to $150,000 and increases the refund limit for overpaid taxes from $2,500 to $5,000, along with adjusting the threshold for financial institutions to release funds to family members without court proceedings from $1,000 to $2,000.

Furthermore, the bill allows courts to determine the source of costs and attorney fees from an estate, including the option to direct payments from a trust share in cases involving a pour-over will. Courts are granted discretion to assess these costs against individuals' portions of the estate based on various factors, without needing to find evidence of bad faith or wrongdoing. This change aims to enhance the court's flexibility in managing estate-related costs, promoting a fair distribution process. The act is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
H 1337 Filed: 655.933, 655.936, 733.603, 735.201, 735.302, 735.304