Executor checklist and probate organizer (United States)
For an executor or administrator in the US: letters, assets, debts and taxes in one organized file, on US Letter. Here is a practical way to organize the estate paperwork so you, the other executors, the beneficiaries and anyone advising you can find everything quickly.
Checked against official sources on 3 November 2026.
The quick version
- Keep every estate paper in one binder, split into the sections below.
- Write down every date and deadline as it is set.
- Record every payment into and out of the estate as it happens.
- Keep a list of everyone you have told, with their reference numbers.
The first few weeks
- Order several certified copies of the death certificate
- Check the funeral home reported the death to Social Security
- If not, call Social Security on 1-800-772-1213
- Tell Medicare, the VA or other benefit programs, if they applied
- Tell banks, credit card companies and the credit bureaus
- Lock the home and keep a list of who has keys
- Keep the home insured and heated or cooled as needed
- Collect mail and note what arrives
- Take photos of valuables before anything moves
- Find the original will and keep it somewhere safe
- Ask the court clerk if the will must be filed, and by when
- Look for trust papers, deeds, insurance policies and account statements
- Find the most recent tax returns and any bills
- Pay only urgent bills, and keep every receipt
- Don't distribute anything or sell property yet
- Ask the clerk or an attorney what you can do before letters are issued
Documents to gather
Gather these before you meet an attorney or file your petition. Tick each one off as you find it.
- Certified death certificates
- Social Security number and date of birth
- Photo ID and any military discharge papers
- Marriage certificate, divorce decrees and birth certificates of children
- Names and addresses of spouse, children and other likely heirs
- Original will and any codicils
- Trust documents and powers of attorney
- Funeral invoice and proof of who paid it
- Funeral prepayment or burial plot paperwork
- Checking, savings and money market statements at date of death
- Brokerage, stock and bond statements
- Safe deposit box details and key
- Cryptocurrency and online payment accounts
- Life insurance policies and beneficiary forms
- Money owed to the person, such as loans or refunds
- Deeds and mortgage statements
- Property tax bills and homeowner's insurance
- Vehicle titles, registrations and loan statements
- Appraisals or valuations at date of death
- Valuables, jewelry, art and collections, with photos
- Keys and access codes
- 401(k), pension and IRA statements with beneficiary forms
- Social Security and Medicare letters
- Veterans, military or federal benefit papers
- Annuity and employer benefit statements
- Credit card and loan statements
- Medical bills and insurance explanation of benefits
- Utility, phone and subscription bills
- Creditor letters and claims received
- Tax debts or IRS notices
- Federal and state tax returns for the last few years
- W-2, 1099 and K-1 forms for the year of death
- Form 56 and the estate EIN letter
- Any IRS notices addressed to the person or the estate
- Petition, notices and orders in date order
- Letters testamentary or letters of administration
- Contacts: attorney, accountant, court clerk, bank officer
- Executor Log with every call and decision
Dates and deadlines to track
- Date of death
- Will located and filed (or no will)
- Letters applied for
- Letters issued
- Creditor claim period ends
- Final Form 1040 filed
- Form 706 due, if required (9 months)
- Final accounts and distribution
Use the exact dates on the letters, forms and notices you receive.
How to section your binder
What this binder is for
Case Ready is a document organization tool for executors and administrators. This edition is designed with reference to estate administration and probate in the United States, using state court self-help sites plus IRS, Social Security and USA.gov guidance.
- Keep the estate paperwork in one place
- Track deadlines and who you have told
- Keep clear accounts for the beneficiaries
What this binder is not
Case Ready:
- Does not provide legal or tax advice
- Does not value assets or work out tax
- Does not replace the instructions of the registry or court
If you need advice, speak to a probate attorney, your state court's self-help center or your state's legal aid website.
The first few weeks
There's no single national notification service in the US, so you tell each organization yourself. Many ask for a certified copy of the death certificate, so order several.
- Funeral homes generally report the death to Social Security. If not, call 1-800-772-1213.
- Tell Medicare, the VA, military or federal retirement offices if the person received benefits.
- Tell banks, credit card companies and the credit bureaus. USA.gov lists the agencies and accounts.
- Tell the motor vehicles office, passport office, state benefits offices and voter registration.
- Find the original will. Some states set a short deadline to file it with the court.
- Social Security also has survivor benefits and a one-time death payment for some spouses or children. Ask when you call.
USAGov can point you to the right agency: 1-844-USAGOV1. Note every call in your log.
How probate works here
Probate is state law, so the court, forms and deadlines differ by state and often by county. This organizer shows the usual pattern and uses California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois as examples.
- File the will with the court in the county where the person lived, if there is one.
- List what the person owned and owed, and decide if a simpler route could work.
- Petition the court to appoint a personal representative. The court then issues letters.
- Give notice to heirs, beneficiaries and creditors. Rules and claim periods vary by state.
- Collect the assets, pay valid debts, expenses and taxes, and keep a record of everything.
- Account to the court or beneficiaries as your state requires, then distribute what remains.
- Ask the court to close the estate where your state requires it.
Executor means named in a will. Administrator means appointed when there's no will. Both are personal representatives.
When you may not need full probate
Small estate shortcuts exist in many states, but the limits, forms and waiting periods vary and change. Check your own court's page for the current rules before you rely on one.
- California: small estate options by value and asset type, and a spousal or partner property petition.
- Texas: a small estate affidavit, and a muniment of title when only real property needs to move.
- New York: a small estate (voluntary administration) route, which cannot be used for real property.
- Florida: summary administration, and disposition without administration for very limited estates.
- Illinois: a small estate affidavit, which cannot be used for a house or other real estate.
- Accounts with a named beneficiary or joint owner often pass outside probate.
- A will does not by itself avoid probate.
Ask the court clerk whether your estate qualifies before you file. Court staff can give legal information, not advice.
Taxes
Two people can owe tax: the person who died and the estate. This organizer doesn't calculate tax. It names the forms and what to keep. A tax professional can tell you what applies.
- Final Form 1040 or 1040-SR for the year of death, prepared as if the person were alive.
- Form 1310 may be needed to claim a refund due to the person. A court-appointed representative attaches court papers.
- The estate needs its own EIN to file Form 1041. Form 56 notifies the IRS of a fiduciary relationship.
- Form 1041 is the estate income tax return. The IRS sets a $600 gross income threshold for estates to file.
- Calendar-year estates file Form 1041 by April 15 of the next year, per the IRS. Fiscal years differ.
- Form 706 is the estate tax return. It applies only to larger estates, and it is due 9 months after death.
- Form 4768 asks for an automatic 6-month extension of time to file Form 706.
Some states add their own estate tax. Illinois, for example, has its own estate tax, run by the Attorney General. Check your state.
Terms used in this organizer
- Personal representative: the executor or administrator who manages the estate.
- Executor: named in the will. Administrator: appointed by the court when there is no will.
- Letters: the court document that gives you authority. Letters testamentary or letters of administration.
- Probate: the court process that confirms a will and oversees the estate.
- Decedent: the person who died. Estate: what they owned and owed.
- Surrogate's Court: the New York court that handles estates. Other states say probate court.
- Intestate: dying without a valid will. State law then decides who inherits.
Your state and county may use other words. Follow the words on your own court forms.
Who this is for and where to get help
Anyone acting for a relative's or friend's estate in the United States. Examples come from California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois. For other states, use your own state's court site. General information, not legal advice.
- Illinois: an Illinois-licensed lawyer must open the probate case. Texas says most probate cases need a lawyer.
- Florida says a personal representative should always engage a qualified attorney.
- California says hiring a lawyer is your choice. New York says you don't need an attorney.
- An attorney is usually worth it for disputes, debts that exceed assets, trusts, overseas assets or a complicated family.
- California: selfhelp.courts.ca.gov. Texas: texaslawhelp.org. New York: nycourts.gov/courthelp.
- Illinois: illinoislegalaid.org. Florida: floridabar.org consumer pamphlets.
- Taxes: IRS pages for estates and for final returns. Social Security: 1-800-772-1213.
Rules, forms and deadlines vary by state. This organizer is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.
Before you petition for letters
- Certified death certificates ordered (several copies)
- Original will found and, where required, filed with the court
- Social Security and benefit programs told of the death
- Contact details for heirs and beneficiaries gathered
- List of assets and debts started, with date-of-death values
- Decided: small estate route or full probate (ask the clerk)
- Attorney consulted if the estate is complex or disputed
- Petition forms from your court completed
- Estate bank account plan ready for when letters arrive
- Executor Log up to date
Save time with Case Ready
Case Ready is a printable, fillable executor binder for United States: first weeks checklist, assets, debts and estate account pages, a list of organizations to tell and an estate accounts workbook for Excel and Google Sheets, with the estate details on every page. Type into it on screen or print it at home.
This binder is a general organizational aid. The process varies by country, state and estate. You are responsible for following the rules and instructions that apply to the estate you are dealing with. This binder is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Nothing in this binder is legal or tax advice.