That depends on whether the funds are lawfully available and traceable at the time of filing. An unresolved estate or sale can create funding-history gaps, so confirm the actual availability and documentation of the funds before deciding when to file.
File once the funding history can actually be documented
Ask counsel whether the current state of the sale or estate settlement provides a sufficiently clear and complete funding history for filing now, or whether waiting for full completion would produce a stronger record. Avoid filing prematurely simply to match a family or project timeline if the documentation is not yet in order.
Choose the petition date only after the source path, commitment evidence, and project record can be presented coherently. The applicant may have invested the capital or be taking active steps to invest it, but an unfinished estate explanation can still leave gaps. For a standalone investment, file Form I-526. Approval does not itself begin conditional residence: the investor receives two-year conditional residence through immigrant-visa admission or adjustment. Form I-829 is filed within the 90 days before the second anniversary of conditional residence. The frequent mistake is counting that removal window from the investment, petition, or sale date, or rushing filing to satisfy a private project deadline before lawful-source records are ready.
Hypothetical example: A metal-fabrication shop owner around Strathroy-Caradoc completes a business sale in instalments and directs funds to a standalone U.S. venture. He waits until each received tranche has a traceable route and the enterprise commitment is documented, rather than claiming unpaid sale proceeds as transferred. His calendar separately records Form I-526 preparation, the eventual start of conditional residence, job evidence, and the future I-829 window.