The initial Trust Administration process itself is straightforward if handled competently. It may take around five to six months from beginning to end. However, other matters unrelated to the Trust Administration may cause delays. For example, the decedent’s affairs may have been left in disarray by failing to properly plan for death, or he or she may have an unusually complex estate. Beneficiaries may be dissatisfied with their inheritance or lack thereof, there may be the necessity of filing a federal estate tax return, or there could be more creditors than assets, etc. The inability to liquidate assets (i.e. real estate) can cause delays if the real estate is to be sold and the proceeds distributed to the beneficiaries. The Trust Administration process itself does not cause such delays.