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The short answer
An executor's work runs in this order: get the death certificates and the will, file for probate if required, notify institutions and creditors, inventory the assets, pay valid debts and taxes, then distribute what remains and close the estate. The checklist below tracks every step. Most estates take months, and the order matters more than the speed.
Reviewed August 2026 · Court procedure and deadlines are set by your state. · Sources: Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute
What an executor actually does →The full kit for the first weeks →
Before you start
Work through common executor tasks by phase, with links to relevant MORTL tools. Duties, deadlines, and required filings vary by estate and court. Work top to bottom and date everything you complete. If a step doesn't apply, mark it and move on. The record you build is the proof the court, the heirs, and the IRS may ask you for later.
The full explanation of the role →Free tool
Being named in a will may not authorize you to act. State law or court appointment may be required. This checklist gives you a practical sequence, but the required steps and deadlines depend on the assets, governing documents, court process, and state law.
Your checks are saved in this browser and aren’t sent to MORTL or tied to your name. Other people who use this browser may be able to see them. General information, not legal advice; some steps vary by state.
Protect what exists and get the one document everything else needs. Don’t distribute or sell anything yet.
Get your legal authority, separate the money, and see the whole picture.
Estate work may take months or longer. Timing depends on the assets, claims, tax work, disputes, court schedule, and state procedure.
Account for everything, hand out what is left, and shut it down properly.
Personalized to your state
This is the general order. The Executor Kit turns it into your playbook, the right court for your state, the local deadlines, the small-estate shortcut if your estate qualifies, and the documents you specifically need to file.
Open the Executor Kit →