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To settle an estate, gather proof of death, the will and any trust records, court papers proving your authority, identity and family records, statements for every asset and liability, tax and income records, insurance and beneficiary information, and receipts for administration expenses. Then build a dated inventory showing who owned each item, where it is held, its identifying number, the document that proves it, and its value on the date of death.
A bank statement is only a lead, not a conclusion about probate. Joint ownership, survivorship rights, beneficiary or transfer-on-death designations, and trust ownership can determine how property passes. Because forms, deadlines, required copies and tax rules vary by jurisdiction and year, use the local probate court and tax authority for the filing checklist.
Start with documents that prove the death and your authority
Institutions generally will not release information or transfer property merely because you are a relative. They need evidence that the account holder died and that you are legally entitled to act.
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Order several certified copies of the death certificate. Banks, insurers, retirement custodians, government agencies and courts may each require an original or certified copy, and their copy policies differ. Keep a log of where each copy is sent and request a replacement only through the issuing vital-records office.
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Will, codicils and trust papers
Locate the original will and every codicil. Record where the original is stored and whether it has already been lodged with the court. If the decedent created a revocable or irrevocable trust, collect the trust agreement, amendments, schedules of trust property and any certificates or memoranda that institutions use to verify the trustee. A will may name an executor, but that nomination does not by itself establish authority with every institution.
Court appointment and later orders
Keep letters testamentary, letters of administration or the equivalent appointment document, together with later orders that expand, limit or change your authority. The Internal Revenue Service describes the personal representative as the person responsible for collecting assets, paying creditors and distributing what remains; its guidance is available in Publication 559. Banks and brokerages commonly ask for an appointment document before opening an estate account or retitling property.
Identity and family records
Create a secure profile for the decedent containing the legal name, aliases, date and place of death, last domicile, date of birth and taxpayer-identification details. Gather marriage certificates, divorce decrees, adoption records and other documents that establish heirs, beneficiaries or ownership when those facts are relevant. Do not place full Social Security numbers, account numbers or access credentials in an unsecured spreadsheet or email.
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Build a complete asset and account inventory
Use one inventory row for every account, policy, parcel, vehicle, business interest and valuable item. Capture the information while statements are available, and save a copy of the document that supports each entry.
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| Inventory field | What to record | Typical supporting record |
|---|---|---|
| Institution or location | Bank, credit union, brokerage, insurer, government agency, property address, safe-deposit branch or storage location; include a reliable contact route. | Statement, policy packet, deed, title, lease or correspondence. |
| Identifier | Account, policy, registration, parcel, loan or certificate number. Store the complete identifier in a restricted file. | Current statement, certificate, title or online account record obtained lawfully. |
| Ownership and title | Decedent alone, joint owners, trust, business entity or another registration; note survivorship language. | Signature card, deed, registration, trust schedule, operating agreement or account-opening document. |
| Transfer instruction | Beneficiary, payable-on-death, transfer-on-death or other designation, including the date it was last confirmed. | Beneficiary form, policy declaration page, custodian confirmation or account agreement. |
| Value at death | Balance or fair-market value as of the date of death, plus later activity that changes the balance. | Date-of-death statement, appraisal, valuation letter or custodian report. |
| Probate route | Whether the item appears to pass through probate, by survivorship, by beneficiary designation or through a trust; mark the conclusion as provisional until local rules are checked. | Title and designation records, will or trust terms, and court or professional advice. |
Financial accounts
Request date-of-death balances and post-death statements for checking, savings, certificates of deposit, money-market accounts, credit-union shares, brokerage accounts, mutual funds and digital assets. Preserve statements that show automatic payments, transfers or dividends after death. Retirement accounts, annuities and life-insurance policies require the same treatment, but their beneficiary designations may control the recipient. Obtain the designation on file rather than relying on a family member’s recollection.
Real estate and tangible property
Collect deeds, mortgages, home-equity statements, property-tax records, homeowners-association notices, leases and insurance policies for each parcel. For vehicles, boats and aircraft, obtain titles, registrations, loan balances and insurance records. Photograph valuable personal property and retain appraisals, purchase records and storage receipts. Note property located in another state or country; a separate proceeding or different transfer rules may apply.
Business and special interests
Look for partnership agreements, corporate or limited-liability-company ownership records, buy-sell agreements, capitalization tables, intellectual-property registrations, royalty statements and business-debt schedules. Identify who can operate the business while the estate is administered and whether an agreement requires a valuation or purchase by surviving owners.
Do not assume every account is a probate asset
An account appearing on a statement does not establish that the probate estate owns it. Confirm five questions for every item:
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- Whose legal name is on the title or registration at death?
- Did a joint owner have a survivorship right under the governing agreement and local law?
- Was a beneficiary or transfer-on-death designation effective on the date of death?
- Was the property titled to a trust rather than to the decedent individually?
- Which jurisdiction’s probate rules apply to this asset?
Florida Courts Help explains that probate assets are only a portion of property associated with a decedent and gives examples such as sole-name accounts and property payable to an estate. Its examples are not a universal rule. Ask the custodian for its ownership and beneficiary records, and keep the response with the inventory.
Search for accounts you were not told about
Start with the decedent’s mail, tax returns, check registers, prior financial statements, insurance correspondence and calendar. Search lawfully authorized online account records for recurring deposits, interest, dividends, subscriptions and automatic transfers. Review contact lists and safe-deposit-box records for clues, but do not access password-protected services without legal authorization.
Send address-change or death notices only after confirming the correct procedure. Keep a discovery log showing the source of each lead, the date you contacted an institution, the person or department contacted, documents requested, and the response. This prevents duplicate claims and creates an audit trail when an account is found months later.
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Make a separate liability schedule. Include mortgages and other liens, credit cards, personal and business loans, unpaid household and medical bills, income and property taxes, funeral costs, insurance premiums, utilities, repairs, storage, court fees and professional fees incurred by the estate.
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For each creditor, record its legal name, account reference, statement date, amount claimed, collateral, due date and every letter or email. Mark a claim as disputed when appropriate; do not pay it simply because a bill arrived. Notice procedures, priority rules, limitation periods and court deadlines are jurisdiction-specific. Ask the probate court or qualified local counsel what notice is required before paying or rejecting a claim.
Liabilities can change the amount safely available to heirs. The IRS Form 706 instructions also require detailed treatment and supporting records for certain deductible liabilities when that return applies.
Separate the decedent’s final tax records from estate tax records
Final individual return
Locate prior federal, state and local returns, wage statements, interest and dividend forms, retirement-income statements, business-income records, estimated-tax payments, deductible expenses and gift records. These documents support the decedent’s final individual income-tax return for the period ending at death.
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Track interest, dividends, rents, business receipts and other income received after death separately. The estate may need its own taxpayer identification number and fiduciary income-tax return. Keep a ledger that ties each post-death receipt to the account and statement where it appears.
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Estate and gift tax
IRS Publication 559 explains the personal representative’s responsibilities for an estate EIN and applicable income, estate and gift returns. The IRS deceased-person guidance at irs.gov/individuals/deceased-person links information about final returns, estate returns and deceased-taxpayer records.
For a qualifying U.S. citizen or resident who died in 2026, the 2026 Form 706 instructions state a $15,000,000 filing threshold. The same instructions describe a portability election for a deceased spouse’s unused exclusion as an independent filing basis, regardless of estate size. That figure applies only to the specified year, people and federal rules; never reuse it for another year, decedent status or country without checking the current instructions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Value property as of the date of death
For each asset, record the date-of-death value, the valuation method and the source. Use custodian statements for cash and securities, payoff or balance letters for debts, professional appraisals for unique or high-value property, and documented market evidence for real estate when accepted locally. Preserve the full report, not just the final number.
The Alameda County Superior Court’s guidance on inventory and appraisal illustrates the level of detail needed to identify property and value it at the decedent’s date of death. A court in another jurisdiction may use a different form, deadline or valuation standard, so treat this as an example rather than a universal filing form.
Use a step-by-step workflow
- Secure originals. Protect the will, trust papers, death certificates, deeds, titles, certificates and safe-deposit-box contents. Scan them into an encrypted, access-controlled folder.
- Obtain authority. Apply for the local court appointment or confirm the trustee’s authority. Order certified death certificates in the quantity institutions require.
- Open a tracking system. Create an inventory, liability schedule, contact log and deadline calendar. Restrict full account numbers and taxpayer identifiers to authorized users.
- Notify institutions. Provide the death certificate and appointment papers, request date-of-death values and beneficiary or title records, and ask how the account should be held during administration.
- Investigate leads. Review mail, returns and statements; search for insurance, retirement plans, safe-deposit boxes, business interests and property in other jurisdictions.
- Confirm transfer route. Classify each item as probate, survivorship, beneficiary-controlled, trust-owned or uncertain. Obtain local advice for uncertain items before moving them.
- Value and reconcile. Match every inventory value to a statement, appraisal or other source, then reconcile later activity and income.
- Resolve debts and taxes. Follow local creditor-notice rules, keep disputed claims separate, file required returns and retain proof of payment.
- Distribute only after authorization. Document beneficiary instructions, receipts, releases and the exact property or cash delivered. Keep the final inventory and correspondence with the closing records.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Using a will as the only authority: obtain the court appointment or trust documentation institutions require.
- Counting statements as ownership proof: verify title, survivorship, beneficiary designations and trust ownership.
- Valuing assets at today’s price: preserve a defensible value at the date of death and identify its source.
- Mixing personal and estate money: use an estate account when permitted and reconcile every receipt and payment.
- Paying the first bills immediately: check claim priority, notice requirements and disputed amounts first.
- Combining tax periods: separate the final individual return from estate income and fiduciary filings.
- Publishing sensitive identifiers: keep full account numbers, tax IDs, passwords and security answers out of shared or public files.
- Applying another place’s checklist: confirm the court, tax authority, deadlines and required copies for the jurisdiction administering the estate.
When professional help is especially important
Consult a probate lawyer or fiduciary tax professional when the will is contested, creditor claims are disputed, the estate owns a business, property crosses state or national borders, beneficiary designations conflict with estate documents, or tax elections and valuations are unclear. Bring the inventory, title records, statements, debt schedule and correspondence so the adviser can identify missing documents quickly.
For England and Wales, the GOV.UK probate guidance identifies the original will and, in specified cases, a death certificate among application documents. Other parts of the United Kingdom and other countries use different forms and rules. Local instructions control.
What a finished file should contain
Before closing the administration, your file should contain the authority documents, a complete inventory with date-of-death values, title and beneficiary evidence, debt and claim records, tax returns and confirmations, receipts for expenses, distribution statements, beneficiary acknowledgments and a contact log. Retain records for the period required by the local court and tax authority, and preserve them in a format that successors can read.
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