732.2145 Order of contribution; personal representative’s duty to collect contribution. - Florida Statutes

732.2145 Order of contribution; personal representative’s duty to collect contribution.

   (1) The court shall determine the elective share and contribution. Contributions shall bear interest at the statutory rate beginning 90 days after the order of contribution. The order is prima facie correct in proceedings in any court or jurisdiction.

   (2) Except as provided in subsection (3), the personal representative shall collect contribution from the recipients of the elective estate as provided in the court’s order of contribution.

   (a) If property within the possession or control of the personal representative is distributable to a beneficiary or trustee who is required to contribute in satisfaction of the elective share, the personal representative shall withhold from the distribution the contribution required of the beneficiary or trustee.

   (b) If, after the order of contribution, the personal representative brings an action to collect contribution from property not within the personal representative’s control, the judgment shall include the personal representative’s costs and reasonable attorney’s fees. The personal representative is not required to seek collection of any portion of the elective share from property not within the personal representative’s control until after the entry of the order of contribution.

   (3) A personal representative who has the duty under this section of enforcing contribution may be relieved of that duty by an order of the court finding that it is impracticable to enforce contribution in view of the improbability of obtaining a judgment or the improbability of collection under any judgment that might be obtained, or otherwise. The personal representative shall not be liable for failure to attempt collection if the attempt would have been economically impracticable.

   (4) Nothing in this section limits the independent right of the surviving spouse to collect the elective share as provided in the order of contribution, and that right is hereby conferred. If the surviving spouse brings an action to enforce the order, the judgment shall include the surviving spouse’s costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.

History. s. 14, ch. 99-343; s. 29, ch. 2001-226.