Once notified that the decedent has died, the executor has 30 days to petition the court for administration of the settlement process. The executor is expected to finish the probate process within 12 months unless certain exceptions apply.
In California, there's no strict deadline for filing probate after death, but it's advisable to begin the process as soon as possible. Delays in filing can lead to complications, such as the estate's assets becoming unmanageable or creditors taking legal action to collect debts.
Probate in California Without a Will — How It Works If they hadn't, it's likely a formal probate will be required. If a formal probate is required, the court will proceed to appoint an administrator to oversee the decedent's intestate estate.
Liability when an executor makes a mistake Unfortunately, a genuine mistake can sometimes snowball into a much bigger and often expensive problem that can be very complicated to resolve. The executor of an estate can be held personally liable for a mistake that results in a loss to the estate.
If the estate is valued above $150,000, then a probate must be filed. If probate is necessary, someone must come forward to start the process. If there is a will, the executor named in the will should start the process.
Without initiating probate, the legal authority to access or transfer the deceased's assets is lacking. This means that bank accounts, real estate, and other valuable assets can't be legally accessed or transferred to beneficiaries.