Art. 3302 Time of payment of estate debts; urgent estate debts

When someone dies and their estate is being settled, the person handling the estate (called the succession representative) has to wait three months after the death before paying off most of the estate's debts. This waiting period gives everyone time to sort out what's owed and who needs to be paid before money starts going out.

However, some debts can't wait three months. For urgent bills or debts that need to be paid right away, the court can step in and approve payment immediately. This can happen at any point, and the court doesn't have to publish or announce this approval publicly. This lets the estate handle time-sensitive matters, like ongoing bills or debts that would cause problems if left unpaid, without being stuck waiting out the standard three month period.