Documents
Inventory the estate's assets and debts
You're personally responsible for an accurate accounting. Most courts require a formal inventory; even when they don't, you need one to administer the estate.
- When to do it
- First 60–90 days.
- Estimated time
- Several weeks
What you’ll need
- Bank and brokerage statements as of date of death
- Real estate deeds and recent appraisals
- Vehicle titles
- Life insurance and retirement account beneficiary information
- Bills and outstanding debts
Steps
- List every asset with its value as of the date of death.
- List every debt and the creditor's contact information.
- Get formal appraisals for real estate, business interests, and significant personal property.
- File the inventory with the court if your state requires it.
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Related tasks
- Locate the will and any trust documentsFind the original will. Photocopies are not the same as originals, and the original is what gets filed with the court.
- Manage digital accounts and online presenceEmail, social media, photo libraries, password managers, crypto, subscriptions. Each platform has its own death-of-user process.
- Order certified copies of the death certificateYou'll need certified copies of the death certificate for nearly everything else — banks, insurers, the court, the Social Security Administration.