What it asks for
List everything the ward owns that you hold or know about, with where it is. Mark anything not yet in your hands. §744.365(2) (opens in a new tab) Rule 5.620(a) (opens in a new tab)
| Section | What goes there |
|---|---|
| A | Real property: description, address, full value, any other owner |
| B | Cash: checking, savings, money market and CDs, with the last 4 digits and whether it is a depository account |
| C | Stocks, bonds and other intangibles, by issuer |
| D | Tangible personal property: vehicles, jewelry, furnishings, collectibles, art |
| E | Debts and liens of $1,000 or more |
| F | Sources of income, by estimated monthly amount, and who is the Social Security payee |
| G | Lawsuits against the ward |
| H | Pending lawsuits, and suits the ward may bring with court approval |
| I | Assets the ward was owed on the date of letters but has not received |
| J | Trusts the ward has an interest in |
| K | Safe-deposit box |
The summary on page one totals Sections A to E. The rules call their forms sufficient, and let you vary them to fit the case.
Common mistakes
Statements left off
File a statement for every cash and investment account. The statute asks for the most current one for cash; the form asks, in Sections B and C, for one from the date the guardianship began. §744.365(3) (opens in a new tab)
Missing attachments
Attach the deed or property appraiser’s record for real property, titles for vehicles, and the papers for each debt listed.
The safe-deposit box
Open it first with a bank employee, who signs your list of what is inside. File that list within 10 days of opening. §744.365(4) (opens in a new tab)
Property found after filing
File an amended or supplemental inventory within 30 days of learning of it. Tick “Amended Form? Yes” at the top. Rule 5.620(b) (opens in a new tab)
If the ward’s property is worth over $25,000, the clerk charges an audit fee of up to $85, paid from the ward’s property. §744.365(6) (opens in a new tab) After the clerk’s audit, the court enters an order approving or disapproving the inventory. Fla. Stat. §744.369 (opens in a new tab)
Your first account
The first annual accounting starts from the values on this inventory. Those values become each asset’s carrying value. Rule 5.696(b)(1) and App. B (opens in a new tab)
It covers the rest of the calendar year and is due April 1. To use a fiscal year instead, tell the court within 30 days of your letters, which is before this inventory is due. §744.367(2), (6) (opens in a new tab)
Sources
- Rule 5.910, Initial Inventory (opens in a new tab), 12th Judicial Circuit’s copy
- Florida Probate Rules, Rules 5.620 and 5.910 (opens in a new tab), The Florida Bar, current through July 16, 2026
- Fla. Stat. §744.362 (opens in a new tab), when the initial report is due
- Fla. Stat. §744.365 (opens in a new tab), what the inventory contains
- Fla. Stat. §744.367 (opens in a new tab), the first accounting’s period
- Fla. Stat. §744.368 (opens in a new tab), the clerk’s audit
Also for Florida: Annual Accounting
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