Generally how long does it take for the probate to be completed?

More information is needed to answer this question; is there a will, or did the decedent die intestate? Usually the administration consists of the appropriate person obtaining authority from a Court to act as a personal representative, liquidating the assets, paying debts and making distributions. It is difficult to give an estimate without knowing more details.

The timeline can vary dramatically from one case to the next - typically ranging from a few months to a year or more. The biggest variables are related to whether assets will be liquidated and when bills will be paid. Since you stated there are no debts and there is a will, you will hopefully be on the shorter end of the spectrum. Still, there are various filings that may need to be completed, and if there were significant assets (or trust under will) even more work will be required. NOTE: If you find this response helpful, please click on the “thumbs up” button at the bottom. DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION PRESENTED HERE IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND IS NOT INTENDED, NOR SHOULD IT BE CONSTRUED, AS LEGAL ADVICE. THIS POSTING DOES NOT CREATE ANY ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN US. FOR SPECIFIC ADVICE ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, CONSULT A QUALIFIED ATTORNEY.

It depends on what you mean by probate. If we limit the meaning of probate to the submitting of the Will to the Surrogate and the appointment of an Executor this can normally be done in at most a few weeks. If we extend the meaning of probate to include the administration of the estate then the typical NJ estate takes between 9 and 24 months depending on a number of factors. Since creditors have 9 months to come forward it is unusual for an estate that has received proper legal advice to close in less than 9 months as a Executor may be held personally responsible to creitors who present claims within nine months if the Executor has distributed funds and cannot pay the creditor because of those distributions. Very truly yours, Ed Smeltzer NOTE: This answer was prepared for educational purposes only. By using this site you understand and agree that there is no attorney client relationship or confidentiality between you and the attorney responding. This site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed attorney that practices in the subject area in your jurisdiction and with whom you have an attorney client relationship. The law changes frequently and varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The information and materials provided are general in nature, and may not apply to a specific factual or legal circumstance described in the question or omitted from the question.