Austin, TX estates planning & probate attorney Kyle Robbins explains what you need to know about probate and estate administration. He states that probate administration only occurs when someone passes away and it’s time to transfer their assets to loved ones. The process typically depends on whether there is a will. Every county has a probate court, and that court authorizes the family to transfer assets such as a house or a bank account.

When there is a well-written will, the process is relatively straightforward and can usually be completed in three to six months at a reasonable cost. However, if there is no estate plan or the will has issues, the process becomes much more complex. In those cases, he notes, it is necessary to prove who the heirs are and who should receive the assets, often requiring witnesses and additional legal proceedings.

He adds that when families are not in agreement, the probate process can stretch to multiple years and become highly complicated. Overall, he emphasizes, probate is fundamentally the process of transferring a deceased person’s assets to their loved ones.