How long does it take to settle and pay out a will? How do I find out what the estate is worth?

I recommend contacting the probate court in the area where your mother lived and asking whether any documents have been filed. If so, you are entitled to copies. If not, you could seek to be appointed executor by filing your own application. You would have to prove why you should be appointed instead of those named in your mother's will, but their delay in acting may be enough reason. If they have filed probate but taken no action, you could seek to either have them removed or seek a court order requiring that they file an accounting. There generally is no time limit to settle an estate, but heirs have the right to be informed and seek court intervention if the executor is not acting or acting improperly.