If you recently lost a loved one, you likely want to know how his or her estate will be closed out. In Pennsylvania, probate may be necessary — it all depends on what type of assets the deceased owned and whether he or she had an estate plan. If probate is necessary, you probably want to know how long it will take to get through. The truth is every case is different, so there is no set time frame for how long it will take to finalize the probate process.
Closing out an estate is a time-consuming and, sometimes, exhaustive affair. There is simply a lot to it. An official probate case needs to be opened, beneficiaries must be identified and contacted, assets have to be inventoried, creditors need to be contacted, and taxes must be paid — among other things. All of this can take months, and that is if everything goes smoothly.
A number of issues may arise during the probate process. Creditors may file claims, beneficiaries may question the validity of the estate planning documents, and you may find that your loved one did not have a will in place — any of these and other concerns that may arise can prolong probate for months or even years. With the assistance of legal counsel, you can do what is necessary to tackle these and other issues head-on in order to keep the probate process moving along. To learn how, please take a moment and visit our firm’s website.
No one wants to go through the probate process. It is certainly not anything to look forward to, but it does not have to be something that you fear either. You can get through it and do so in a timely manner with the assistance of an experienced Pennsylvania-based probate attorney.