The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for Massachusetts with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.
When the clock starts in Massachusetts
The single fact that governs every other date on this page: in Massachusetts the creditor-claim period runs from the date of death — and the year is a deadline to COMMENCE AND SERVE an action, not to file a claim.
This is not the same in every state. Some states run the period from the date of death, others from the date letters are issued to the personal representative, others from first publication of the notice to creditors. A deadline calculated from the wrong event is simply wrong, and a missed claim deadline is not curable.
Massachusetts deadlines at a glance
| Deadline | Massachusetts | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory | Three months after appointment. A successor personal representative also has three months, but values the property as of the date of their own appointment rather than the date of death. The inventory is filed with the court or mailed to all interested persons whose addresses are reasonably available; filing the original with the court is optional. | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, §3-706(a)–© |
| Creditor claim period | One year after the date of death — but Massachusetts asks for more than a filed claim inside it. The creditor must COMMENCE an action within the year AND, before the year expires, do one of three things: have the process served by delivery in hand on the personal representative, have service accepted by them, or file a notice with the register stating the name of the estate, the creditor's name and address, the amount of the claim, and the court in which the action was brought. Massachusetts also runs no notice to creditors: §3-801, the section the Uniform Probate Code uses for that, is marked "Reserved" in the Massachusetts version. Nothing is published, so nothing about the executor's conduct moves the date. | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, §3-803(a) |
| Outer claim bar | The one year is itself the bar, and it reaches beyond the estate: a trustee of a trust whose assets are reachable by the decedent's creditors as a matter of substantive law is held to the same period and manner (§3-803(b)). A claim already barred by the statute of the decedent's domicile before the Massachusetts limitation runs is barred here too (§3-803©). Four things sit outside it (§3-803(d)–(f)): proceedings to enforce a mortgage, pledge or other lien on estate property; an action for personal injury or death commenced more than a year after the death, allowed up to three years after the cause of action accrues but satisfiable ONLY from liability bond or insurance proceeds and not from the general assets — and maintainable naming the decedent as defendant where no personal representative has been appointed; collection of compensation and expenses by the personal representative or their attorney or accountant; and MassHealth recovery, which runs under ch. 118E §§31–32 instead. Separately, the Supreme Judicial Court may on a complaint in equity give judgment to a creditor who did not prosecute in time, where justice and equity require it and the creditor is not chargeable with culpable neglect — but only if the §3-803(a) notice is filed in the registry of probate forthwith on filing the complaint, and the judgment does not affect any payment or distribution made before that filing (§3-803(e)). | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, §3-803(b)–(f) |
| Closing / final distribution | No later date, but a floor: a personal representative may close the estate by filing a verified statement no earlier than six months after the date of the original appointment of a general personal representative, unless the court orders otherwise or the estate is in supervised administration. The statement must confirm that the time for presenting creditors' claims has expired, that the estate has been fully administered, and that a copy has gone to all distributees and to every creditor known to the representative whose claim is neither paid nor barred, with a full written account to the distributees affected. If no proceedings are pending a year after the closing statement is filed, it may not be challenged except for fraud or manifest error. | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, §3-1003(a), (b) |
The inventory deadline, as written
Within 3 months after appointment, a personal representative, who is not a successor to another representative, shall prepare an inventory of the property owned by the decedent at the time of death, listing it with reasonable detail and indicating the fair market value of each listed item as of the date of death, and the type and amount of any encumbrance that may exist with reference to any item.
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, §3-706(a)–©
The creditor-claim period, as written
Except as provided in this chapter, a personal representative shall not be held to answer to an action by a creditor of the deceased unless such action is commenced within 1 year after the date of death of the deceased and unless, before the expiration of such period, the process in such action has been served by delivery in hand upon such personal representative or service thereof accepted by him or a notice stating the name of the estate, the name and address of the creditor, the amount of the claim and the court in which the action has been brought has been filed with the register.
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, §3-803(a)
What this page does not state
Where a figure is not recorded above, it is because it was not found in the statute cited — not because no deadline exists. Court rules, local rules, and standing orders set additional dates that are not part of the statutory text, and those are not reproduced here. Confirm every date against the Massachusetts court handling the estate.
Sources
- Statutes: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, §3-706(a)–©; Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, §3-803(a); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, §3-803(b)–(f); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, §3-1003(a), (b)
- Authority: Massachusetts General Court, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B (malegislature.gov)
- Source URL: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleII/Chapter190B/Section3-803
- Verified: 2026-08-21
Related Massachusetts guides
- How Long Does Probate Take in Massachusetts? — the overall timeline these deadlines sit inside.
- How much does probate cost in Massachusetts? — the cost side.
- How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Massachusetts? — compensation for the work.
- Massachusetts Probate Fee Sheet — printable one-page reference.
- Executor Duties: The Complete Checklist — what the role involves.
Executor deadlines in other states
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This page reproduces Massachusetts statutory deadlines as published at the time of verification. It is not legal advice. Statutes are amended, court rules impose additional dates, and application depends on the specific estate. Confirm every date with the Massachusetts court or a licensed Massachusetts attorney.