How long a probate takes depends on a number of factors, including:
The value, nature and type of property owned by the decedent at his or her death
If there is any conflict or disagreement between heirs, beneficiaries or potential heirs or beneficiaries
Whether there is a will or whether the decedent passed away intestate.
Depending on where a decedent lived and the size of the decedent’s estate, some estates may be settled without a formal probate procedure or administration. As of 2015, the following guidelines indicate what type of probate administration is necessary in Nevada for any size estate:
Estates of less than $25,000, with no creditors, only need an Affidavit of Entitlement to be filed. No formal probate administration is required.
Estates of less than $100,000, with no creditors and excluding encumbrances, may be set aside to a spouse or children without a complex probate administration. An encumbrance includes any right to, or interest in, land or other property that exists and continues in someone other than the decedent or the decedent’s heirs.
Estates between $100,000 and $300,000 are considered “summary administrations” and as such take a minimum of 5 to 6 months to complete. Finally, estates that are over $300,000 require a full probate administration.
Thus, a probate can take a day, or it can take months or years if the estate has a high value or beneficiaries and heirs fight over who gets what.