Administering an Estate in California Is a Lengthy Process
Long after your loved one has passed, you may, unfortunately, find yourself still involved in a lengthy probate administration. Wrapping up the affairs of a loved one can take months or even years. While it is difficult to determine how long an estate administration will take from the onset of the process, there are certain factors that might indicate the potential for delays.
Factors of a lengthy process may include:
- The overall size of the estate
- The number of heirs of the decedent
- The number of organizations that stand to receive a portion of the estate
- Whether there was a will or trust
- Whether any close family members were specifically omitted from the will or trust
- Ongoing tax negotiations with the IRS
- Complications relating to estate, income, or fiduciary tax returns
- Whether the decedent held an interest in a closely-held business
- Whether there are multiple variations of the will or trust that vary greatly from form to form
As the estate is carried out, there are many procedural delays that will further impact the length of time that it takes to wind up the affairs of your loved one. These delays include waiting for potential hearing dates, providing adequate notice, and providing sufficient opportunity for creditors to come forward and make a claim against an estate.
While certain factors relating to a probate administration may be outside of your control, handling the process properly and meeting all requirements imposed by the law can help to ensure that the probate wraps up as quickly as possible.
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