Documents
Locate the will and any trust documents
Find the original will. Photocopies are not the same as originals, and the original is what gets filed with the court.
- When to do it
- First two weeks.
- Estimated time
- A few hours to a few weeks, depending on how organized things were
What you’ll need
- Access to the home, safe deposit box, and the decedent's files
Steps
- Check obvious places: home filing cabinet, fireproof safe, desk drawers.
- Ask the decedent's attorney — if they had one, the original may be on file.
- Check the safe deposit box at their bank. Some states require special procedures to open it.
- Look for trust documents, beneficiary designations, and any handwritten codicils.
Get your free 30-day Executor Roadmap
A personalized checklist based on your state and situation. No legal jargon. We’ll email you the first week of steps and a free PDF you can share with family.
We don’t share your info. Unsubscribe anytime. By submitting you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms.
Related tasks
- Inventory the estate's assets and debtsYou'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.
- 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.