The right tool for the exact phase: Use a simple printed PDF on a clipboard for the chaotic first week, then transition to a spreadsheet for long-term tracking of institutional red tape. Map the entire landscape early: A checklist is useless if it misses accounts. You must build a master inventory covering traditional finance, physical … Read more
Estate valuation evidence proves what an asset was worth on the specific date the person passed away, which establishes the baseline for all future reporting. Online account access decays quickly. Capture historical pricing, balances, and property condition before passwords stop working or physical items are moved. For bank accounts, a standard monthly statement is not … Read more
Your first visit to the courthouse is about information gathering and filing initial paperwork, not about leaving with full authority on day one. Bring original core documents: the original will (never remove the staples), multiple certified death certificates, and your valid government-issued ID. If there is no will, bring vital records like marriage or birth … Read more
An executor bank documents checklist is a highly specific, stripped-down packet designed solely for the bank’s bereavement or legal department. Banks typically look for three stacks of verification: Proof of Death, Proof of Identity, and Proof of Authority. Do not hand the teller your entire executor master file; only provide what they specifically ask for … Read more