Executor checklist:
what to do when you're named executor.

The first week or two

Protect what exists and get the one document everything else needs. Don’t distribute or sell anything yet.

• Estimate how many certified death certificates you needAsk each bank, insurer, court, agency, and property office whether it needs a certified copy. Order an initial quantity from those answers and confirm how to order more.
• Find the will and the other key documentsThe original will, any trust, deeds, insurance policies, and account statements. Not sure what a document is?Identify a document →
• Secure the home, vehicles, and valuablesLock up the property, forward the mail, and keep anything of value safe. Nothing leaves yet, not even to family.
• Confirm the Social Security death report and notify the employerAsk about survivor benefits and final employment benefits. Do not move a Social Security payment received after death until SSA or the bank confirms which benefit month it covers.Who to notify tracker →
• Notify all three nationwide credit bureausFollow the current deceased-consumer process for Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A deceased notice can reduce identity-theft risk, but it can’t guarantee that fraud will be blocked.Who to notify tracker →

The first month or two

Get your legal authority, separate the money, and see the whole picture.

• Work out whether the estate needs probateIt depends on how things were owned, not just their value. This decides most of what comes next.Do I need probate? →
• Check the will-deposit rule, then seek appointment if an estate proceeding is neededSome states require the will custodian to deposit the original with the court even when no probate case is opened. Deadlines, appointment steps, and the name of the authority document vary by state.
• Open a separate estate bank account if the administration needs oneKeep estate money separate from personal money. Ask the bank and the estate’s lawyer or court guidance which funds belong in the account.
• Inventory every asset and debtYou’ll need a full list for the court and the beneficiaries. Build it once and reuse it.Estate inventory tool →
• Send formal notifications to banks, creditors, and insurersAsk each institution for its current estate process and document requirements before sending original or certified records.Settlement letters (Premium) →
• File life insurance claimsA valid named beneficiary generally claims directly. The result can differ if the estate is named, no beneficiary survives, or the designation is disputed. Check work, private, bank, and union policies.

The working months

Estate work may take months or longer. Timing depends on the assets, claims, tax work, disputes, court schedule, and state procedure.

• Determine who owes each valid debt before paying itA debt may belong to the estate, a co-borrower, a surviving spouse under applicable law, or more than one party. Follow the estate priority rules before distributing money.Who owes this debt? →
• Identify essential bills and prevent avoidable lapses when authorizedReview housing, utilities, property insurance, vehicle coverage, and other time-sensitive bills. Use authorized estate funds or get guidance from the provider, lender, insurer, court, or appointed representative. Do not assume you must pay the person’s debts from personal funds.
• Check the final personal return, estate income return, and estate tax returnThe final personal return covers the year of death. An estate that receives enough income may need Form 1041. Form 706 has separate federal estate-tax and election rules. State returns may also apply.Estate tax calculator →
• Keep records of everything you spend and receiveEvery payment out, every dollar in. You’ll account for all of it to the beneficiaries and the court.

Before you close the estate

Account for everything, hand out what is left, and shut it down properly.

• Prepare a final accounting for the beneficiariesA clear record of what came in, what went out, and what remains. Many states require the court or the heirs to approve it.
• Distribute what remains under the governing documents and lawThe will, trust, beneficiary designations, ownership records, court orders, and intestacy law may control different property. Confirm required claims, expenses, and taxes first.
• Complete the required closing work and preserve the recordsCourt filings and formal discharge requirements vary by state and by the type of administration. Confirm the retention period with current court, tax, and legal guidance.

Print it, or save a copy

A PDF or Word copy of this list, with what you've done marked off. Hand it to whoever is helping you.

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.