Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Washington

Re: Probate will

Depends on what the will says. If one of the beneficiaries is getting a benefit out of the estate and that conflicts with what the estate says, then that person can wind up "paying back" the estate for the benefit they were conferred.

When a person dies with a will, a probate action has to be opened, and the PR appointed, and the estate marshalled. Notice may or may not have to be provided to creditors and should be provided to the beneficiaries of the decedent.

Once the estate is marshalled, then the probate can be closed and the estate distributed to the heirs. This takes time. How much depends on a host of factors.

But while the estate is pending, sometimes somebody gets to live in a house that perhaps they would not otherwise.

But in the long run, it's not rent free. Hope this helps. Elizabeth Powell