1. (a) When it has been determined that a decedent died intestate and letters of administration have been issued upon the decedent's estate, no will shall be probated unless it is presented for probate:

   1. (1) before the court decrees final distribution of the estate; or
   2. (2) in an unsupervised estate, before a closing statement has been filed.
2. (b) No real estate situate in Indiana of which any person may die seized shall be sold by the executor or administrator of the deceased person's estate to pay any debt or obligation of the deceased person, which is not a lien of record in the county in which the real estate is situate, or to pay any costs of administration of any decedent's estate, unless letters testamentary or of administration upon the decedent's estate are taken out within five (5) months after the decedent's death.

3. (c) The title of any real estate or interest therein purchased in good faith and for a valuable consideration from the heirs of any person who died seized of the real estate shall not be affected or impaired by any devise made by the person of the real estate so purchased, unless:

   1. (1) the will containing the devise has been probated and recorded in the office of the clerk of the court having jurisdiction within five (5) months after the death of the testator; or
   2. (2) an action to contest the will's validity is commenced within the time provided by law and, as a result, the will is ultimately probated.

4. (d) Except as provided in subsection (e), the will of the decedent shall not be admitted to probate unless the will is presented for probate before the latest of the following dates:

   1. (1) Three (3) years after the individual's death.
   2. (2) Sixty (60) days after the entry of an order denying the probate of a will of the decedent previously offered for probate and objected to under section 16 of this chapter.

   3. (3) Sixty (60) days after entry of an order revoking probate of a will of the decedent previously admitted to probate and contested under section 17 of this chapter.

      However, in the case of an individual presumed dead under IC 29-2-5-1 , the three (3) year period commences with the date the individual's death has been established by appropriate legal action.

5. (e) This subsection applies with respect to the will of an individual who dies after June 30, 2011. If:

   1. (1) no estate proceedings have been commenced for a decedent; and

   2. (2) an asset of the decedent remains titled or registered in the name of the decedent;

      the will of the decedent may be presented to the court for probate and admitted to probate at any time after the expiration of the deadline determined under subsection (d) for the sole purpose of transferring the asset described in subdivision (2). A will presented for probate under this subsection is subject to all rules governing the admission of wills to probate.

      Formerly: Acts 1973, P.L.289, SEC.1; Acts 1975, P.L.288, SEC.8. As amended by P.L.263-1989, SEC.1; P.L.238-2005, SEC.11; P.L.95-2007, SEC.5; P.L.36-2011, SEC.4.

As amended by P.L.263-1989, SEC.1; P.L.238-2005, SEC.11; P.L.95-2007, SEC.5; P.L.36-2011, SEC.4.