Both Small Estates and Regular Estates must remain open for at least six months from the date a Personal Representative is appointed. That means the Estate may be administered, assets sold, income collected, and other activities, including addressing debts and creditors (more on this below). However, distributions to heirs may not occur during this statutory six-month period.
The reason for the six-month statutory period is to allow time for creditors to come forward, for unknown heirs to come forward and for the possibility that a more recent Will exists and is filed with the Court. Of course, any one of these issues will likely change the course of the Probate process and are likely to be the catalyst of litigation. Seek the advice, and representation, of an experienced Estates & Trusts attorney if the Estate you are Probating becomes the subject of litigation.
If an unknown heir comes forward, the situation may require verification and perhaps even a Court hearing. Likewise if a more recent Will is discovered and filed. If creditors come forward and Claims are made, this may dramatically change how much each heir receives and may even result in the estate becoming insolvent (having more debts than assets).