Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Illinois

There is no single answer. Every case is going to depend on the fact and circumstances surrounding the estate.

A lot depends on how complex the estate issues are, including whether the decedent's will is subject to probate court, whether the decedent left a lot of debt, whether assets need to be sold to satisfy claims and legacies and whether there are any disputes among heirs and legatees. If there is a probate case, outside of perishable items and nominally valued family trinkets, we'd assume there would be at least six months to elapse before the earliest distribution would be made. Most estates close within two years, but some cases remain open for much longer.