A personal representative shall not be compelled to pay any legacy given by the will, or make distribution of the estate of his decedent, until after a year from the date of the order conferring authority on the first executor or administrator of such decedent, or until four months following such order in the case of settlements made pursuant to section nineteen of this article and not then in either event unless the report of claims against the estate made by the fiduciary supervisor or fiduciary commissioner has been confirmed and no appeal has been taken from the order of confirmation.