Deceased estate - no probate required - why is it taking SO LONG?

(Newbie)Newbie

6 Nov 2025

I am executor of my dad's estate. We do not need probate - confirmed by ATO after some time arguing with the poorly informed representative. I submitted a letter as per ATO instructions, confirming my status and requesting release of funds. Letter was received two months ago along with all verifying documents. It is a very simple return, my dad just received a gov pension. The call centre cannot give me even an approximate estimate.

How long do I have to wait for this to be finalised? This one thing is holding up all other estate finalisation. I cannot close his bank accounts without this being done. I am so frustrated that something so simple takes this long.

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DamienATO

(Community Support)Community Support

6 Nov 2025

Hi @LHS,

Deceased estate matters can take time. We aim to finalise most electronic tax returns within 2-4 weeks. However, deceased estates can sometimes take longer due to their complexity.

If we haven’t received a grant of probate or letters of administration, we may not be able to confirm the return outcome with anyone – even if you’ve submitted a letter and documents. That’s because we need to be sure we’re speaking to someone authorised to act on behalf of the estate.

Typically, finalising a deceased estate can take 6 to 12 months, but simpler cases like yours may be quicker. Since it’s been two months, I recommend calling our deceased estates line for an update.

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Deceased estate - no probate required - why is it taking SO LONG?

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