GAINESVILLE, Fla –
Nearly 1 in 25 residential properties in the cities of Alachua and High Springs are at risk of entering the costly and lengthy probate legal process.
The Alachua County Property Appraiser’s Office will be hosting its third Probate and Estate Planning Summit on February 16, 2023, at 6 p.m. which will take place at the James A. Lewis City Commission Chambers located at 15100 NW 142 Ter. Alachua, FL 32615 inside Alachua City Hall.
This event will feature an interactive panel discussion led by representatives from the Alachua County Clerk of Court, the Alachua County Tax Collector, the University of Florida Levin College of Law, and Three Rivers Legal Services Inc. Each panelist will discuss how their respective offices are directly impacted by the extensive probate process and how individuals can opt to create estate plans that are aimed at allowing assets to pass outside of the probate process.
“As we continue with this ongoing project we hope to impact residents positively while addressing their concerns directly by being more accessible,” Property Appraiser, Ayesha Solomon said. “Overall, we hope to gain more insight into the needs and expectations of the public.”
The Alachua County Property Appraiser’s Office formulated this initiative through a dual data-driven approach that identified all the parcels that are classified as heirs’ property throughout the county as well as parcels with only one remaining owner listed on the property suggesting a lack of proper estate planning. After successfully analyzing the data sets, heat maps were created to showcase the “hot spot” areas in the county that are affected the most by these issues.
“We are thankful for Ayesha Solomon and her team at the Alachua County Property Appraiser’s Office,” Ashley Stathatos, High Springs City Manager, said. “This is a much-needed and worthwhile service for our residents. We look forward to further resources being made available to our citizens in Alachua and High Springs in the future.”
This event is free and will be open to the general public. In addition, this event will be recorded and subject to later use.
About the Alachua County Property Appraiser’s Office
The Alachua County Property Appraiser’s Office ensures that all taxable property in the county is assessed equitably and at its fair market value in accordance with Florida statutes. The Property Appraiser’s Office has two locations: 515 N. Main Street in Gainesville and 15010 NW 142nd Terrace in Alachua. For more information visit https://www.acpafl.org
