How long does it take to settle an estate?

Updated 2026-10-16 · Expert review in progress

The short answer

No law sets a typical length for settling an estate, and we found no reliable count of the hours it takes. Washington's deadlines set the floor: four months for most creditors, four months to contest a will, and nine months for estate tax returns when required. The house, the records and the family decide the rest.

If you have been named to settle an estate, one of the first things you want to know is how much of your life it will take. Months? Evenings and weekends? A year of flights? It is a practical question, and you deserve a straight answer.

The straight answer is that no law sets a typical length, and we found no trustworthy figure for the hours involved. What the law does set is a handful of deadlines. This page lays those out, then walks through the work that actually fills the time. For the whole job, see our guide to the executor of an estate.

Why isn't there a standard answer?

Settling an estate is a list of tasks, and the list differs for every person. One estate is two bank accounts with beneficiaries named. Another is a house full of belongings, a rental unit and a box of unopened mail.

The law asks for speed but sets no finish line. Washington tells the personal representative (its word for an executor) to settle the estate "as rapidly and as quickly as possible" without sacrificing its value (RCW 11.48.010). Any number you see quoted for a "typical" estate is somebody's estimate, not a rule.

The deadlines the law does set

These are Washington's statutory timelines. They don't tell you when you'll finish, but they tell you the earliest you safely can.

Deadline	What happens	Source
30 days after learning of the death	Anyone holding the will delivers it (40 days if that person is the executor)	RCW 11.20.010
20 days after appointment	Notice of the probate to heirs and beneficiaries	RCW 11.28.237
40 days after the death	Earliest use of the small estate affidavit, if the estate qualifies	RCW 11.62.010
60 days after accepting the role	A successor trustee notifies trust beneficiaries, unless the trust waives it	RCW 11.98.072
3 months after appointment	Sworn inventory completed, unless the court allows longer	RCW 11.44.015
4 months after first publication	Creditor period ends for most creditors	RCW 11.40.051
4 months after the will is admitted	Last day to file a will contest	RCW 11.24.010
9 months after death	Washington and federal estate tax returns due, if required	Washington DOR, IRS
1 year after appointment	A beneficiary not yet paid in full may ask the court to order a report	RCW 11.68.065
30 days after a declaration of completion	Window for objections before the estate closes	RCW 11.68.110
24 months after death	Outer limit for creditors who weren't properly notified	RCW 11.40.051

Our post on how long probate takes explains the court deadlines in more depth. This page looks at the whole job, including the parts outside court.

The four-month floor

For an estate that goes through probate, the creditor period usually sets the earliest safe close. Once notice is published, most creditors have four months from the first publication (RCW 11.40.051). The window to contest the will, also four months, often runs at the same time (RCW 11.24.010).

Without published notice, creditors have 24 months from the death (RCW 11.40.051). That is why publishing early is one of the best ways to keep the calendar short.

When there is an estate tax return

Most estates owe no estate tax. Washington's applies above $3,000,000 for deaths on or after July 1, 2026, and the return or an extension request is due nine months after death (Washington Department of Revenue). Federal Form 706 is required for 2026 deaths above $15,000,000, also due at nine months (IRS Instructions for Form 706).

An estate that must file usually stays open at least until the return is in. Six-month extensions to file are available, but they don't extend the time to pay.

Where the hours actually go

We found no reliable public count of how many hours settling an estate takes. What we can do is show you the work, so you can estimate your own.

The first weeks

Arrange the funeral and order death certificates.
Secure the house, the car and the mail. Find a place for the dog.
Find the will and deliver it to the court.
Make a first list of accounts, bills and anything with a beneficiary.

Our checklists on what to do when someone dies and the executor checklist put these in order.

The middle months

Open probate, get letters, and send notices.
Open an estate bank account and move money into it.
Prepare the inventory, which means finding and valuing everything.
Pay valid debts and keep paying the house's bills.
Clear, repair and sell the house, if there is one.
File the final income tax return, reporting income up to the date of death (IRS).

The end

File any estate tax returns.
Distribute what is left as the will directs.
File the declaration of completion and wait out the 30 days.

The middle months are where the hours pile up. Much of it is phone calls, waiting on hold and opening mail.

What makes it heavier or lighter

Lighter	Heavier
Most assets have beneficiaries or are in a trust	Everything is in the person's name only
A list of accounts and passwords exists	Accounts must be discovered from old mail
No house, or the house goes to one person	A house to clear, repair and sell
Executor lives nearby	Executor lives across the country
Family agrees	A dispute or will contest
No estate tax return	An estate tax return due at nine months
Notice to creditors published early	No notice, leaving a 24-month window

Avoiding probate removes the court steps, but not the work. A successor trustee still finds the accounts, sells the house and pays the bills. Our post on how to avoid probate covers which steps it does remove.

If you can't give it the time

Being named in a will doesn't oblige you to serve. Our post on whether you can refuse to be executor covers your options before and after appointment. If the named executor has died or can't serve, see what happens if the executor can't serve.

If you are writing your own will, it is worth picturing those months landing on the person you name. Some people name a family member first and a professional as backup. Kinly members can name Trella Trust Company as executor or trustee; there is more on how it works.

Common questions

How long does it take to settle an estate in Washington?

No law sets a typical length. Washington's deadlines set the floor: most creditors have four months from the first published notice, a will contest can be filed for four months, and estate tax returns, when required, are due nine months after death.

How many hours does it take to settle an estate?

We found no reliable public figure. The hours depend on the house, the number of accounts, how organized the records are and whether the family agrees. Listing the tasks ahead of time is the best way to estimate your own.

Can an estate be settled in less than four months?

Not safely, if notice to creditors was published, because the creditor period is still open. A small Washington estate of $100,000 or less after liens can often be handled by affidavit starting 40 days after the death, without probate.

Does a trust make settling an estate faster?

It removes the court steps for property in the trust. In Washington, the successor trustee must still notify beneficiaries within 60 days of accepting the role, and the practical work of finding accounts and selling property remains.

Sources

This page is general information, not legal or financial advice. Laws vary by state.

Keep reading

Executors and settling an estateCan an executor refuse or step down?Can an executor refuse the job? Yes. Here is how to decline before you're appointed, how to step down after, and who takes over, using Washington law.Executors and settling an estateWhat happens if the executor dies or can't serve?What happens if the executor dies or can't serve? Who steps in, before and during probate, using Washington's rules, and why naming a backup saves months.Executors and settling an estateExecutor of an estate: the job, start to finishWhat an executor of an estate actually does, step by step: opening probate, notifying heirs and creditors, paying debts and taxes, and closing the estate.