How Long After Funeral Is Will Read (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 6-9 Months

Death is uncertain and when a person passes away it is the responsibility of the deceased person’s family members to take care of his belongings and all other affairs. If the deceased person has left a lot of possessions then there has to be a will that the deceased person might have wrote or left with a lawyer before his death.

In case the deceased person has left a valid will, then your state might require the will to go through a probate court so that the assets and other things will be distributed legally and appropriately. A will is a legal document that denotes the wishes of a person as to how his/her property would be distributed after the death of that person.

How Long After Funeral Is Will Read

How Long After Funeral Is Will Read?

What is a will?A legal document that denotes the wishes of a person that when he/she dies then their possessions would be distributed according to his wishes.
Why a will is important?Will is important because the property and estates can be distributed equally and legally so that no illegal things are done later.

There will be a certain process before the will is read where for several months the probate court will design and validate the will and also they will administer the estates of the people who have left the will and testaments.

Therefore, the family members of the deceased person will have to wait for several months before the will is read. The probate proceedings are also responsible for settling the estates of those people who have died without any kind of valid will. Certain things like the state’s probate code or statutory provisions determine whether probation is required or not.

Funeral

However, in some states, every will and testament must go through the probate court administration. But, there are some states where the wills need not go through the probate proceedings only if the state law has considered the deceased person’s probate estate to be small.

The probate process can take about 6-9 months to be completed but there are certain things that vary looking at the size of the assets that need to be distributed.

Why Does It Take That Long After Funeral For Will Read?

Wills and testaments left by a deceased person for their family need to be distributed but there are certain things that need to be processed and checked before the will is read. As mentioned earlier about the probate proceedings and all other things that could vary before the will is read.

In case, there are some disputes among the people who are supposed to inherit the assets and all other possessions of the deceased person then it could take much longer time. Whenever the will of a deceased person enters the probate court for administration then the court will seek someone who will be the executor or the personal representative for the estate. Here, the personal representative that has been appointed by the probate court must act in a fiduciary capacity which means he must act in the best interest of the estate.

There are certain other things that must be known to the family of the deceased person. Family members must be responsible and act maturely because the will made is the wishes of the deceased person and there should be nothing to have a dispute upon.

Funeral

Do check out all the proceedings, documents, and all other requirements with the probate court because if you have the knowledge then the process will be understandable for you and as well as for your family.

Conclusion

There are many things that need to be checked and then the will is read out to the family members of the deceased person. In case, there is no will made by the deceased person then there are other processes or methods by which the possessions and assets of the deceased person would be distributed.

There are certain things that should not be included in a will.  If you are planning to make a will then you need to know these things too. For example, a property that is a living trust cannot be included in a will.

References

  1. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00140138208924943
  2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00224545.1937.9920014

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AboutNidhi

Hi! I'm Nidhi.

Here at the EHL, it's all about delicious, easy recipes for casual entertaining. So come and join me at the beach, relax and enjoy the food.

26 Comments

    1. Well, it should be a time when the family supports each other during the process, it could be very challenging.

  1. I find it ironic that after a person passes away, their loved ones have to wait for legal processes to take place.

  2. The complexity of the legal process seems overwhelming for families during an already difficult time.

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