• [ ] Inventory Your Assets: Make a comprehensive list of all your significant assets.

• Real Estate (primary residence, vacation homes, rental properties)

• Bank Accounts (checking, savings, money market)

• Investment Accounts (brokerage accounts, mutual funds, stocks, bonds)

• Retirement Accounts (401(k)s, IRAs, pensions)

• Life Insurance Policies

• Business Interests

• Valuable Personal Property (art, jewelry, collectibles)

• [ ] Define Your Goals: Consider what you want to achieve with your plan.

• Who should inherit your assets?

• Do any beneficiaries have special needs?

• Do you want to plan for incapacity (i.e., who makes decisions if you cannot)?

• Do you have charitable giving goals?

• Are you concerned about minimizing estate taxes?

• [ ] Select Your Fiduciaries: Identify the people or institutions you trust to carry out your wishes.

• Personal Representative (or Executor): The person who will manage your estate through the probate process.

• Trustee: The person or entity that will manage the assets in a trust.

• Guardian for Minor Children: The person who will care for your children if you pass away before they are adults.

• Agent for Power of Attorney: The person who will make financial decisions for you if you become incapacitated.

• Healthcare Surrogate: The person who will make medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated.

• [ ] Gather Key Documents: Collect important personal documents.

• Birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees

• Deeds to real property

• Vehicle titles

• Existing wills or trusts

Executor / Trustee Initial Duties Checklist

A guide for those who have recently been appointed to serve as an executor or trustee.

• [ ] Locate and Review the Foundational Documents: Find the original will and/or trust agreement. Read them carefully to understand your duties and the decedent's wishes.

• [ ] Secure Tangible Assets: Secure the decedent's home, vehicles, and other valuable personal property to prevent theft or damage.

• [ ] Obtain Death Certificates: Order multiple certified copies of the death certificate. You will need these for many administrative tasks.

• [ ] Identify and Notify Beneficiaries: Inform all named beneficiaries and heirs of the death.

• [ ] Consult with an Attorney: Engage legal counsel to guide you through the probate or trust administration process. This is a critical step to ensure you are meeting all your legal obligations.

• [ ] Set Up an Estate/Trust Bank Account: Open a new bank account in the name of the estate or trust to manage its finances separately.

• [ ] Inventory and Value Assets: Create a detailed inventory of all estate or trust assets and determine their value as of the date of death.

• [ ] Notify Creditors and Pay Debts: Identify and notify known creditors. Pay all legitimate debts and final expenses of the decedent.