Your Estate Paperwork Checklist

A step-by-step guide through the documents, contacts, and deadlines after a family member dies. Select your situation below to get a personalized checklist you can save and return to.

Set Up Your Checklist

Tell us a little about your situation. The checklist will adjust to show the right tasks, document counts, and state-specific forms.

State where the person died

Your relationship to the deceased

Was there a will?

Your Checklist

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Common Mistakes

Ordering too few death certificates. Get 10 to 15 certified copies. Each bank and insurance company wants an original.
Notifying creditors too late. Most states require formal notice within 30 to 90 days. Missing this window can reopen claims.
Closing accounts before paying final bills. Keep one bank account open until all debts and taxes are settled.
Forgetting digital accounts. Email, social media, cloud storage, and subscription services each have their own process.

Stuck on Probate?

If the court is not responding, the will is contested, or you are not sure which forms to file, here are some options:

Call the probate clerk's office. They cannot give legal advice but can confirm which forms you need.
Visit your state's self-help court website. Many have free guides and fillable forms.
Contact your local legal aid office if you cannot afford a lawyer.
For small estates, ask about simplified probate. Many states offer a faster process under a certain dollar amount.

How This Checklist Works

Why a checklist matters

After someone dies, there are dozens of tasks that need attention, often within strict timelines. Banks want death certificates. The court wants petitions. Creditors want notice. Missing one document or deadline can delay everything by weeks. This checklist puts the most common tasks in order so you can work through them one at a time.

What makes this different

Generic estate checklists online are often the same 10 items copied everywhere. This one adjusts based on your state, your relationship to the deceased, and whether there is a will. It tells you how many death certificates to order, which state-specific forms to look for, and which deadlines are firm.

How to use it over time

Estate paperwork is not a one-day job. Some tasks, like filing the will with the court, happen in the first week. Others, like final tax returns, may take months. Your progress saves in your browser so you can check off a few items each day without losing track.

When to get help

This checklist covers the most common situations. If the estate is large, has property in multiple states, involves a business, or is being contested, an estate attorney can save you from expensive mistakes. Many offer free initial consultations. Legal aid offices help low-income families with probate paperwork at no cost.

Example Scenarios

Maria, surviving spouse in Texas

Maria's husband died without a will. She is the sole beneficiary under Texas community property law. Her checklist includes filing an affidavit of heirship, notifying Social Security, and transferring the house title. Texas allows independent administration, which means less court oversight.

James, adult child in New York

James's mother left a will naming him executor. He needs to file the original will with the Surrogate's Court, get letters testamentary, and notify creditors through a formal publication process. New York requires a specific notice to creditors that runs in a local newspaper.

Aisha, sibling handling a small estate in Ohio

Aisha's brother died with no will and an estate valued at $35,000. Ohio allows a release from administration for estates under $40,000, which skips most of the probate process. Her checklist shows this shortcut and the simplified form to file.