When you’re named executor or personal representative of a Florida estate, one of your first real jobs is figuring out what the deceased owed. Skip a creditor or misread the claim window, and you risk paying claims out of pocket. A downloadable Florida estate debt management worksheet gives you a clear, fillable record of every liability how much, who it’s owed to, the priority level, and when it must be settled. That record can save you hours of scrambling and help you avoid the kind of mistake that lands an executor in probate court for a surcharge hearing.

What does a Florida estate debt management worksheet actually do?

It’s not a legal filing itself. Think of it as a working document a central place to list secured debts, unsecured bills, final medical expenses, funeral costs, tax obligations, and known claims against the estate. Because Florida law sets a strict order for paying claims, a well-structured worksheet helps you see at a glance which creditors get paid first and what’s left for lower-priority debts. The idea is to match every liability you discover against the estate’s cash and assets, so you can plan payments without accidentally shorting a higher-priority creditor.

You’ll often use this worksheet alongside our guide for executors on documenting debts. That guide walks through the formal notice requirements, while the worksheet keeps the numbers straight.

When should I start filling it out?

Right after the court issues your letters of administration. In Florida, creditors typically have 90 days from the date of publication of the notice to creditors to file a claim. You don’t want to wait until day 80 to organize what you already know. Early use of the worksheet lets you track known debts, verify them against the decedent’s mail and financial statements, and flag anything that looks questionable before the claim period ends. If you find a debt that seems inflated or invalid, the documentation you gather now makes it easier to object later.

What debts belong on the worksheet?

Any obligation of the deceased that survives death belongs there. Common entries you’ll write down include:

  • Secured loans such as a mortgage balance or vehicle lien
  • Credit card balances and personal loans
  • Unpaid medical bills from the final illness
  • Funeral and burial expenses (these get a high priority in Florida)
  • Federal and state income taxes owed
  • Property taxes for the year of death
  • Open utility or service contracts in the decedent’s name

If you’re unsure whether a particular expense qualifies as an estate debt, cross-check it against our estate settlement document checklist. That resource lists which forms and proofs to gather for each type of expense, so nothing stays guesswork.

How do I line up debts in the right order?

Florida does not let you pay everyone at once. Florida Statute 733.707 draws a hard line: expenses of administration and funeral costs come first, then debts with preference under federal or state law, then medical and hospital expenses of the last 60 days of life, and only after that do you reach general unsecured claims like credit cards. The downloadable worksheet usually includes a priority column or section so you can tag each line item with its class. When cash is tight, this order determines who gets paid and who may receive nothing something you must explain to heirs and creditors if the estate is insolvent.

Common mistakes people make when listing estate debts

The biggest error is treating the worksheet as a simple list of bills without noting priority or verification status. Another slip is mixing joint debts with estate-only debts. If the deceased co-signed a loan with a surviving spouse, the estate might not bear the full obligation. Marking that distinction prevents you from paying twice. Also, executors sometimes forget to list contingent liabilities like a personal guarantee on a business loan until a demand letter arrives. Logging potential claims early, with a note that they are unconfirmed, gives you a more honest picture of what the estate might owe. For more on handling these gray areas, you might find practical steps in our section on strategies for managing liabilities helpful.

How to stay ahead of statutory deadlines

The worksheet can double as a deadline tracker. Add a column for “notice published date” and a calculated field or note for “claim deadline.” Add another for “objection deadline” if an independent action is needed. The moment you file the inventory and start receiving claims, you can mark each one “filed,” “pending,” or “objected.” This roll-up view becomes the source document for your petition to approve payment of claims, so it pays to keep it current every week.

Next step: fill out the worksheet with real numbers

Grab the free worksheet (this page offers a clean fillable version) and start by entering every liability you know today. Even if a bill seems small, put it down. Once the basic list is built, pull out the accompanying free printable liability checklist to make sure you haven’t missed any hidden debts things like uncollected final paychecks, tax refunds that offset debts, or personal loans from family that might still need handling.

From here, your next move is simple: keep the worksheet updated, set a weekly five-minute review, and hold it next to the estate bank account when you plan any distribution. Doing the paperwork ahead of time turns a tense probate process into a manageable to-do list.