How long after a death will it take to probate the estate and receive inheritance?

The amount of time that it takes for an estate to go through the probate court after a death will depend on many factors.  For estates that are relatively simple and small, it may only take a couple of months.  For estates that are very complex with a large number of assets and heirs, it may take upwards of six months to possibly over a year.  The probate process includes taking an accounting of the entire estate – the assets must be properly inventoried and the obligations of the decedent must be satisfied before any inheritance can be disbursed.  If the decedent had obligations like unpaid creditors, mortgages, outstanding medical bills, unpaid taxes, or any other debts, those all have to be settled before the estate can distribute inheritance.  Additionally, it is not uncommon after a death for the will to be contested, either by included or omitted individuals.  In the case of a contested will, it may take even longer to settle the estate and pay out inheritance.