Regular New Jersey Probate: One Year or Less Each creditor has nine months from the decedent's passing to claim the estate. After nine months, and if there are no unpaid or pending claims, the executor can distribute the assets and issue a declaration of discharge.
The term "personal representative" is not as familiar to most people as the word "executor." The truth is they mean exactly the same thing.
The Affidavit of Next of Kin must be done in the County where the decedent resided at time of death. Bring an original or certified copy to the Surrogate at time of application. List all the assets in the decedent's name alone in order to determine the number of true copies of the affidavits that will be required.
You'll have to file a request in the county where the deceased person lived at the time of their death. The paperwork will ask for you to be officially acknowledged as the legal executor representing the estate. In addition to the petition, you'll need to file a valid will, if one exists, and the death certificate.
Whether an estate has to be probated depends on how the decedent's (the person who has died) property is titled (owned) when they die. Some property may not be part of the probate estate because it passes directly to another person by law.
Typically it will take around 6 to 12 months for beneficiaries to start receiving their inheritance, but this varies depending on the complexity of the estate and possible delays at the Probate Registry, which have been widely reported in the media.
You'll need to file: Petition for Informal Probate of Will and/or Appointment of Personal Representative (MPC 150) Surviving Spouse, Children, Heirs at Law (MPC 162) Devisees (MPC 163) The original will. A certified copy of the death certificate. Notice of Informal Probate and Return of Service (MPC 550)
In Massachusetts, the appointment process for becoming an executor often starts with a nomination within the deceased person's will. In order to serve as an executor, the individual named must be at least 18 years old and of sound mind, meaning they are mentally competent to carry out the duties required.
To protect the estate from potential losses due to negligence or dishonest actions by the executor, a probate bond is often required. The bond acts as a form of insurance issued by a surety company, which serves as a third-party overseer.
Due to their individual requirements and processes, the length of time it takes to acquire a probate bond varies from company to company. However, many surety companies can bond a person within 24 hours or as quickly as within the same business day.