Quick answer: the deadline that shapes the whole schedule is the 4-month creditor bar from the second publication under § 633.410. See the full Iowa probate timeline calculator for your specific estimate.
The core deadlines, in order
| Deadline | Iowa rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Court hearing on petition for probate | Typically 2–4 weeks after filing | District Court practice |
| Notice to creditors published | Once a week, 2 consecutive weeks | § 633.230 / 633.304 |
| Known creditors mailed notice | As soon as identity is reasonably ascertainable | § 633.410 |
| Creditor claim bar | Later of 4 months from SECOND publication, or 1 month from mailed notice | § 633.410 |
| Report & inventory filed | Within 120 days of qualification (raised from 90 days, July 2026) | § 633.361 |
| Medicaid estate recovery claim | Within 6 months of required electronic notice | § 249A.53 |
| Absolute outer bar, all claims | 5 years from date of death | § 633.410 |
Why the second publication, not the first
Worth understanding clearly: Iowa's notice to creditors is published once a week for 2 consecutive weeks — and the 4-month claim bar under § 633.410 runs from the date of the second publication, not the first. That's a small but meaningful difference from states that count from first publication: it effectively adds about a week to the earliest possible claim-bar date.
Two deadlines that just changed
In 2026, the Iowa legislature extended the report-and-inventory deadline from 90 to 120 days after qualification (House File 2532, effective July 1, 2026), and separately raised the small estate affidavit threshold from $50,000 to $100,000 of personal property (House File 2660, effective the same date). Both changes are already in effect for estates being administered today.
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