Probate how long does it take

If you can't find an inventory, search through paperwork as soon as you can to make a list of the assets within the deceased's estate. If there's a will, track it down as soon as possible and make sure it isn't tampered with — this includes unbinding it or adding any markings. You should also familiarise yourself with the rules of intestacy.

Contact financial organisations straight away to notify them of the death, and ask for confirmation of date of death valuations for all assets and debts. Get the house valued as soon as possible — you can find out more about valuing assets for probate.

Don't apply for probate yourself unless you're comfortable with all the jargon — the smallest mistake could add months of delays at the probate registry. Choose a probate specialist who can guide you, prepare your probate application and submit it to the probate registry in good time.

At Farewill, we gather all the information we need as soon as you're ready and get it over to our legal team. They'll then prepare and send the application to you in as little as 7 days. Once everything has been signed and sent back, it'll be submitted to the probate registry for approval. Article reviewed 26 March What information do you need before applying for probate?

At Farewill we're making everything to do with death easier, friendlier and more affordable. We provide probate, wills and funerals with a difference, and so far we've helped over 60, families in the UK.

Skip navigation. Guides Probate. June Yap Probate Lead. Get a quick estimate Answer a few simple questions to find out how long probate could take based on your situation. Question 1 of 9. Not sure. How long does it take to apply for a grant of probate without a will? How long does it take for a probate application to be approved? How long does it take to deal with someone's estate? How long does it take to get inheritance money after probate is granted? How long is probate taking at the moment?

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The Notice to Creditors is filed which starts the mandatory day period for any creditors to file a claim against the estate. It is a good idea for the Personal Representative to locate all assets at this point if they have not done so already. Generally, we will close all bank accounts, fill out the necessary paperwork to claim any insurance policies and try and gather all of the liquid money assets and place them in a restricted bank account until the end of the probate.

Also, we will begin negotiating with creditors if any make a claim against the estate and ask the court to strike their claims if the creditor cannot provide us with the proper paperwork. At this point, we should have located and liquidated all of the assets as necessary , and any real estate can now be sold.

We have also dealt with any creditors and are ready to ask the judge to distribute the assets to the beneficiaries. It is possible that the estate can be closed in Month 5, however, generally, it takes about 30 days or so for the judge to sign the order authorizing that the money be distributed to the beneficiaries and then another 15 days or so for the bank, where all the money is being held, to actually release the funds to the beneficiaries.

In our experience, Month 6 is generally the time at which the beneficiaries will have their check in hand and the probate will be officially closed. Sometimes, the judge will allow you to sell property during that day creditor period and place the proceeds into a restricted account. However, this is not the norm and really depends on the county where the property is located and who the judge is. If the property is in foreclosure or in threat of foreclosure, or some other hardship, most judges will allow the property to be sold within that 3-month window assuming you have an experienced probate attorney who knows how to present this argument to the judge.

The timelines provided above are a result of the hundreds of probate matters that The Probate Law Firm has handled and is based on an average of those cases. One thing to remember is that probate involves many moving pieces.

There is a court, a judge, a judicial assistant, an attorney, a paralegal, a personal representative, a bank representative, a realtor, siblings, and the list goes on and on. No one person can control everyone and sometimes, someone or something throws a wrench into the mix that can changes things. If you need assistance with a probate matter, give The Probate Law Firm a call at to discuss your specific situation.

We take pride in performing a simple and efficient probate and will treat you and your clients, just like family. We believe that probate should be left to the attorneys so that the surviving family members and friends can focus on more important things such as grieving and spending time with loved ones.

Call us today at or send us an email at [email protected]. As a reminder, the information provided on this blog article is only to be used for general informational purposes and not intended to be used as legal advice.