People sometimes think that a will reading is a necessary part of the probate process. At the beginning of probate, heirs and beneficiaries sit down in a room with the deceased’s lawyer, who reads the will to them and informs them of what they should expect as an inheritance. This is when adult children find out who gets family heirlooms or the family home, for example, starting off the division of assets.
In 2025, however, there’s no requirement for a will reading, and it is something that almost never happens. It’s much more common in media, such as movies or novels, because it’s a convenient way to get the family together at the beginning of probate. But in reality, the estate administrator will generally just distribute copies of the will and other estate planning documentation to the family members, and these copies will inform them of what they should expect for an inheritance.
When do they receive these assets?
Additionally, even when people get the initial copies of the paperwork, they’re not actually going to get any assets at this point, in most cases. Some assets can be transferred relatively quickly if they skip probate, such as a life insurance payout or a payable-on-death account. But most of the time, the estate administrator will be busy gathering assets and making an inventory. They will then have to check over all of the documentation and determine who should get which assets. They may need to pay off creditors and satisfy debts. Only after all this has been done will they begin distributing those assets, so it can take time for the estate to go through probate before the beneficiaries actually see the items that were given to them in the will.
During this time, it is important for all involved to understand their legal options, especially if conflicts arise.