Estate administration involves the settlement or management of an estate, including distributing property to heirs and paying any debts. Though administration can take place with or without a will or trust in place, if a person dies unexpectedly or passes away and does not have an estate plan in place, the court will typically appoint an administrator. This administrator will be responsible for handling the distribution of the estate and any other related duties.

Meanwhile, probate is the formal legal process of settling an estate through the court, particularly when there are disputes, large amounts of property or money, or a lack of an estate plan. The named executor or trustee is the responsible for handling the estate according to the instructions in the will or trust.

Although these two situations are different, the duties of an administrator and executor are almost the same. Depending on the exact situation, the entire process can take between 9 and 18 months. In some cases, it can take even longer if there are any problems during the process, such as a contest.