How long does it take to settle a deceased estate in Australia?
Settling an estate takes time. From the date of death to lodging a probate application is often three to six months, while the executor locates the original Will, identifies assets and liabilities, obtains the death certificate, advertises, and prepares the court documents. Court processing then adds anywhere from days to months. After the grant comes the administration work. On top of that, each state sets a period in which an eligible person can challenge the Will, and a careful executor waits for that to pass before distributing. Willed’s fixed-fee probate service keeps this moving.
For related guidance, see what does letters of administration mean in Australia, and when do you need it instead of probate?.
Read the video transcript
Generally from date of death to the lodging of a probate application can be 3 to 6 months depending on the complexity of the estate. The executor will need to locate the original Will, identify assets and liabilities of the estate, receive the death certificate, advertise, and prepare the required court documentation. Depending on how long the court takes to process the application, it can be from a matter of days to a number of months. And lastly, after the grant, the executor needs to undertake all the administration tasks. Further, depending on what state you are in, there is a time period that an eligible person may challenge the terms of the Will. An executor should wait until any claim periods have expired prior to distributing the estate.
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