New Jersey estate facts · Probate
When must heirs be notified after a will is probated in New Jersey?
The short answer
Within 60 days. The executor mails a Notice of Probate to the beneficiaries and next of kin, then files proof of mailing with the Surrogate.
The details
After a will is admitted to probate, the executor has 60 days to mail notice to everyone named in the will and to the next of kin, whether or not they inherit anything.
The executor then files proof that the notices were mailed with the Surrogate's Court.
The notice tells each person that the will has been probated and where. It's how everyone with an interest learns the estate is officially underway.
Related estate facts
Other questions families ask.
How soon after a death can a will be probated in New Jersey?
Not for at least 10 days. New Jersey law doesn't allow a will to be admitted to probate until 10 days after the person's death.
Read the answer → Estate administrationHow long do creditors have to make a claim against a New Jersey estate?
Generally nine months from the date of death. Creditors present claims to the executor or administrator in writing and under oath.
Read the answer → ProbateWhere is probate handled in New Jersey?
At the Surrogate's Court in the county where the person lived. Each of New Jersey's 21 counties has its own Surrogate.
Read the answer →Talk to a real person
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