Get Your Inheritance Before Probate Closes

A probate advance is a lump sum of cash paid to an heir before probate closes, in exchange for a portion of their expected inheritance. Unlike a loan, there are no credit checks, no monthly payments, and no interest. The advance company collects its share directly from the estate when probate concludes. If the estate pays out less than expected, the heir keeps the advance and owes nothing back.

What Is a Probate Advance?

A probate advance (also called an inheritance advance or estate advance) is a cash transaction that gives you immediate access to a portion of your expected inheritance while probate is still pending. Our complete guide to probate advances covers everything you need to know. It is not a loan. CSF purchases a share of your future inheritance at a discount, and when the estate closes, CSF collects directly from the estate proceeds. You never make a monthly payment. If the estate falls short, you owe nothing. The risk is entirely on CSF.

This distinction matters. Because a probate advance is a purchase (not a loan), there are no interest charges and no debt added to your name. The transaction does not appear on your credit report and has no effect on your ability to borrow money elsewhere. Advance amounts typically range from $5,000 to $250,000, depending on the size of the estate and your expected share.

How a Probate Advance Works

The process moves fast. Most heirs go from first call to cash in hand within a few business days.

1. Step 1: Apply. Call us or fill out the form on this page. We need basic details about the estate: the decedent’s name, the probate court and case number (if you have it), the estate attorney’s contact information, and an estimate of your expected inheritance. The application takes about five minutes. You can complete it online or over the phone.
2. Step 2: Estate review. Our team reviews the probate filings, the will or trust documents, and the estate’s assets and liabilities. We work directly with the estate attorney to verify your share. In most cases, we make a funding decision within 1–2 business days.
3. Step 3: Get funded. Once approved, you receive a written offer showing the exact advance amount, the flat fee, and the total that will be deducted from your estate distribution. No surprises. After you accept, funds are wired to your bank account, often within 24–48 hours of approval.
4. Step 4: Collection from the estate. When probate finally closes and distributions are made, CSF collects its purchase price directly from your share. You never write a check, never make a payment, and never receive a bill. The transaction is settled entirely through the estate.

Who Qualifies for a Probate Advance?

Qualification is based on the estate, not on you personally. Your credit score, employment status, and income are irrelevant. Here is what matters:

• Named beneficiary or legal heir. You must be listed in the will, named as a beneficiary of a trust, or entitled to a share under your state’s intestacy laws if there is no will.
• Estate in probate or trust being administered. The estate must be filed with the court or the trust must be in the process of administration. We can also work with estates that are about to be filed.
• Sufficient estate assets. After debts, taxes, and administrative costs are accounted for, the estate must have enough value to support the advance.

Beyond those three requirements, there are few barriers. We do not require collateral. Even if you have a bankruptcy, foreclosure, or judgments on your record, you can still qualify. Approval is based on the estate, not your personal finances. If the estate is small enough, you may be able to bypass probate entirely with a small estate affidavit.

Types of Estates We Fund

Every estate is different. CSF has funded advances against all of the following:

• Probate estates. The most common situation. The estate is going through court-supervised probate, and heirs are waiting months or years for distribution. We advance against your expected share while the legal process continues.
• Trust distributions. If you are a named beneficiary of a revocable or irrevocable trust being administered, you may qualify. Trust administration generally moves faster than probate, but it still takes months, especially when real estate is involved.
• Intestate estates (no will). When someone dies without a will, state law determines who inherits. The timeline is often longer because the court must appoint an administrator and verify heirship. The advance process works the same way. We verify your legal share and fund against it.
• Estates with real estate. Property is one of the most common reasons probate drags on. Houses need to be appraised, maintained, listed, and sold, sometimes with court approval. An advance gives you cash now while the property sale plays out.
• Contested estates. Even if a will is being challenged or there are disputes among heirs, an advance may still be possible. If your share is likely to survive the contest, CSF evaluates the situation on a case-by-case basis.
• Mixed estates (probate + trust). Many estates have both trust and probate components. We look at the full picture to determine what portion of your inheritance can be advanced.

We have seen estates with all six of these complications at once. If your situation feels complicated, it probably is not the first time we have dealt with something similar.

Probate Advance vs. Inheritance Loan

Some companies market “inheritance loans,” but a probate advance and a loan are fundamentally different products. The table below shows exactly how they compare:

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The bottom line: with an inheritance loan, you take on personal debt. With a probate advance, you sell a portion of something you already own. If the estate pays less than expected, the advance company, not you, takes the hit. That non-recourse protection is the single biggest reason heirs choose an advance over a loan.

How Much Does a Probate Advance Cost?

CSF charges a flat fee that is fully disclosed before you sign anything. There is no interest rate, no compounding, and no hidden charges. The fee is locked in on day one, and it stays the same whether probate takes six months or six years.

The exact cost depends on the size of the estate, your share, and the expected timeline to close. For a broader look at what estates typically pay, see our guide to probate costs by state. Before you commit, you receive a written breakdown showing three numbers: the advance amount, the fee, and the total that will be deducted from your estate distribution. That total does not change. No fine print. No escalation clauses.

This is one of the clearest differences between an advance and a loan. With a loan, your cost grows every month. With an advance from CSF, the cost is set from the start. If probate takes three years instead of one, your fee stays exactly the same.

Why Probate Takes So Long

The average probate takes 9 to 24 months. Many estates stretch well beyond that. Learn more about how long probate typically takes and what drives the timeline. Here is why:

• Mandatory creditor notice periods. Most states require a 3–6 month window for creditors to file claims against the estate. No distributions can happen until this window closes.
• Real estate complications. If the estate includes a house or other property, it may need to be appraised, maintained, insured, listed, and sold, sometimes with court approval. Real estate alone can add 4–8 months to the timeline.
• Court backlogs. Probate courts in major metros like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago are notoriously slow. Hearing dates get pushed out by months. Filing errors mean starting over.
• Tax filings. The estate may need to file its own tax return, and complex estates may require IRS clearance. Tax processing adds weeks or months depending on the estate’s size and complexity.
• Disputes and will contests. A single objection from an heir, creditor, or other party can freeze the entire estate. Contested probates routinely take 2–4 years to resolve.

During all of this, heirs wait. Bills pile up. Mortgages come due. Medical expenses do not pause because someone is waiting on a court. We see this pattern constantly: an heir calls us three or four months into probate, frustrated that nothing has moved and bills are stacking up. Many heirs are also surprised to learn that inheritance taxes may apply depending on their state. Learn what you may owe before probate closes.

If this sounds like your situation, you are not alone. A probate advance bridges the gap, putting money in your hands now while the legal process plays out on its own schedule. And because CSF’s fee is locked in from day one, a longer probate does not cost you more.

How Much Can You Receive?

In most cases, CSF can advance up to 60% of your expected inheritance, depending on the size and complexity of the estate. Advance amounts typically range from $5,000 to $250,000. The exact figure is determined after reviewing the probate filings, outstanding debts, and any claims against the estate.

Larger estates with clear documentation and fewer complications tend to qualify for advances at the higher end of that range. But there is no minimum estate size required to apply. Whether your expected share is $15,000 or $1,500,000, we will evaluate it and give you a transparent offer. No obligation.

Not sure where you fall? Call us at (800) 317-3769 and we can give you a rough idea in a few minutes based on what you know about the estate. That gets you a direct line to our team, not a call center.

Why Choose CSF for Your Probate Advance?

Dozens of companies offer inheritance advances. Here is what makes Catalina Structured Funding different:

• Attorney-led team. CSF has 4 licensed attorneys on staff, including our founder and general counsel. Our legal team reviews every transaction. That means faster turnaround, fewer errors, and a level of diligence that non-attorney firms cannot match. You can meet our attorneys on our leadership page.
• Full-service financial firm. CSF also handles structured settlement purchases, annuity buyouts, and lottery winnings transactions. If your estate involves payment streams, annuities, or structured settlements alongside the inheritance, we handle it all under one roof. Most probate advance companies cannot do this.
• No monthly payments. Ever. Repayment comes from the estate. You will never receive a bill, a statement, or a collection call from CSF.
• Estate-based approval. Your eligibility is based on the estate, not your personal finances. The estate is the only underwriting factor.
• You never pay out of pocket. You pay nothing to apply, get approved, or receive your funds. The amount we quote is the amount you receive.
• Flat, transparent pricing. One fee. Fully disclosed. Locked in before you sign. No interest, no compounding, no surprises six months later.
• Fast funding. Most advances are funded within 24–48 hours of approval. If you are in an urgent situation, tell us. We will move as fast as the paperwork allows.
• Nationwide service. CSF serves heirs across the entire country.

If you are weighing your options, get quotes from at least two or three companies before making a decision. We say that because we know what happens when heirs compare offers: they usually come back to us. The fastest way to find out what your advance would look like is to fill out the form on this page or call (800) 317-3769. There is no cost, no obligation, and no pressure.