Estate Settlement Checklist for Executors (2026)

Settling an estate involves many tasks and deadlines. This comprehensive checklist helps you stay organized and avoid missing critical steps.

Immediate Tasks (Days 1-7)

• Attend to funeral arrangements
• Locate the original will
• Secure the residence (lock, remove valuables)
• Secure vehicles (prevent unauthorized use)
• Collect mail daily
• Notify close family and friends
• Contact the funeral home about death certificate orders

First Two Weeks (Days 7-14)

• Order 10-15 certified death certificates
• Notify major financial institutions (banks, brokerages)
• Notify insurance companies (life, auto, home)
• Notify employer (or request final paycheck/benefits)
• Notify Social Security Administration
• Locate and review any trusts or estate planning documents
• Gather recent financial statements
• Identify all assets and their values
• Identify all debts and liabilities

Within One Month

• Set up mail forwarding with USPS
• Determine whether probate is needed (use eligibility checker)
• Open estate bank account (if needed for larger estate)
• Secure valuables and important documents in safe location
• Begin notifying creditors of the death
• Cancel subscriptions and memberships
• Stop utility services (as appropriate)

Asset Inventory and Classification

• List all bank accounts (checking, savings, money market)
• List all investment accounts (brokerage, mutual funds)
• List all retirement accounts (IRA, 401k, pension)
• List real property (house, land)
• List vehicles
• List life insurance policies
• List business interests
• List personal property (jewelry, artwork, collections)
• Calculate total probate estate value
• Identify non-probate assets (joint, POD, trusts)

Probate or Streamlined Route

• Confirm whether small estate affidavit applies
• If probate needed, file petition with probate court
• If eligible for small estate, prepare and notarize affidavit (after waiting period)
• Attend probate court hearing (if required)
• Obtain letters testamentary or letters of administration (if probate)

Notifications

• Notify all heirs and beneficiaries
• Publish notice to creditors (if required by state/probate)
• Notify known creditors by certified mail
• Provide copies of death certificate to institutions requesting it

Financial Management

• Review all incoming mail for bills and notices
• Pay funeral expenses
• Pay medical bills (if any)
• Pay property taxes and homeowners insurance
• Pay utilities (until services are stopped)
• Keep receipts and records of all expenses
• Prepare accounting of all transactions

Tax Returns and Tax Compliance

• File decedent's final income tax return (1040) - due the date the decedent's return would have been due (April 15, moved to the next business day when it falls on a weekend or DC holiday); required if income was over the filing threshold, and worth filing to claim a refund
• Obtain an EIN for the estate (required if the estate must file Form 1041 or opens an estate account; Form 706 uses the decedent's Social Security number)
• File estate income tax return (Form 1041) if the estate has $600 or more of gross income; calendar-year estates file by April 15 of the following year
• File federal estate tax return (Form 706) if the estate exceeds the exemption ($15,000,000 for 2026 deaths); it is generally due 9 months after death, and a Form 706 may also be filed to elect portability for a surviving spouse
• File state estate or inheritance tax returns (if applicable)

Creditor Claims (If Probate)

• Track creditor claim deadline
• Review all claims filed
• Reject invalid claims with proper notice
• Pay valid claims in the order state law sets, before distributing (31 U.S.C. 3713(b) can make a representative personally liable for paying others ahead of federal claims in an insolvent estate)

Document Generation (If Complete Tier)

• Prepare inventory report (if probate)
• Prepare accounting (if probate)
• Generate necessary letters and forms
• Prepare final accounting for beneficiaries

Distribution

• Wait for creditor claim deadline to pass (if applicable)
• Ensure all taxes and debts are paid
• Prepare distribution schedule
• Distribute assets to beneficiaries per will (or intestacy law)
• Collect receipts and releases from beneficiaries
• Retain copies for estate records

Estate Closing

• File final accounting with court (if probate)
• Petition for discharge (if probate)
• Obtain court order closing estate (if probate)
• Close estate bank account
• File final notification with IRS (if EIN was obtained)
• Keep executor authority documentation with the estate records
• Retain estate records at least 3 years after filing the last return, and longer (6 years for large omissions of income, with no limit if no return was filed, IRC 6501)

Key Dates to Track

• Death date: _________
• Funeral date: _________
• Will reading date: _________
• Court filing date (if probate): _________
• Appointment/letters date: _________
• Creditor deadline: _________
• Tax return due date: _________
• Probate close date (if applicable): _________

Resources

• Use ExecutorBench for deadline tracking and guidance
• Consult attorney for legal questions
• Consult CPA for tax questions
• Contact state probate court for specific requirements

Use ExecutorBench's free eligibility checker to find your state's route and get a personalized task list.

Notes Section

Use this space to track important information:

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Disclaimer: ExecutorBench is self-help software. It is not a law firm, it does not give legal advice, and it is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Using it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and what you enter is not protected by attorney-client privilege. This checklist is general guidance; specific requirements vary by state and estate circumstances. Consult an attorney in your state for complete guidance.