What Information Should an Executor Gather First?
Before you can manage an estate, you need to understand what actually exists.
That can be harder than it sounds.
Important information may be spread across filing cabinets, email, online accounts, a safe, old tax returns, financial statements, and conversations no one else knew about.
Your first job is not to solve everything.
Start building the picture.
On this page
Start With Estate Documents
Look for documents such as the original will, trust documents, any codicils or amendments, funeral or burial instructions, and property or business documents.
These are examples, not a complete list.
Do not assume that finding a document automatically gives you authority to act.
The legal process and requirements vary.
Identify the Professionals Who May Already Know the Estate
A professional who already worked with your loved one may know about documents or accounts the family has not found yet.
Consider contacting the estate attorney, CPA or tax professional, financial professional, or insurance professional.
Begin Identifying What Exists
At this stage, the goal is identification.
You do not necessarily need to close, transfer, sell, or distribute anything.
A few representative types of assets to look for:
- Financial accounts, such as checking, savings, investment, or retirement accounts
- Real estate and vehicles
- Life insurance
- Personal property and safe deposit boxes
A few representative types of obligations to identify:
- Mortgages and loans
- Credit cards and utilities
- Insurance premiums and property expenses
- Taxes and medical bills
These are examples, not a complete list.
Do not assume every bill should immediately be paid personally or from a particular account.
Keep the information and determine the appropriate process.
Look at Recent Tax Records
Recent tax returns may help identify financial institutions, investment income, property, business interests, retirement income, and professional advisors.
Tax records are not a complete inventory, but they can provide useful clues.
Pay Attention to the Mail
Mail can reveal accounts and responsibilities you did not know existed.
Keep potentially important mail together until you understand what it relates to.
Do the Same With Email, But Be Careful
Email may contain information about bills, accounts, insurance, or professional contacts.
However, access to digital accounts can involve legal authority, privacy, account terms, and other considerations.
Do not assume you are authorized to access an account simply because you know a password or can access a device.
When authority is unclear, seek appropriate guidance.
Keep a Simple Record
As information appears, record a few key things for each item:
- What it is
- Where it is
- Who the contact is
Do not rely on memory.
What You Do Not Need to Know Yet
You do not have to immediately know the exact value of every possession, what will happen to every asset, when every beneficiary will receive something, or how long the entire process will take.
First, find the pieces.
Then determine what needs to happen with them.
Questions Worth Asking
A few questions that may help:
- Is this part of the estate?
- Does anything need immediate protection?
- Are there deadlines?
- Which professional should answer this question?
When to Bring in a Professional
Professional guidance may be important when dealing with probate, trusts, beneficiary designations, taxes, real estate, business ownership, debt, contested property, unclear ownership, family disputes, or questions about your authority.
Depending on the situation, consider an appropriately qualified estate attorney, CPA or tax professional, financial professional, insurance professional, or other provider.
Remember This
You cannot organize an estate you cannot see.
Before trying to solve everything, build the picture.
Find the documents.
Identify the accounts.
Record the property.
Track the obligations.
Write down the questions.
Then work through what comes next.
Important Information
Crisis Navigations provides educational and organizational information to help you identify questions, organize information, and prepare for potential next steps. This resource is not medical, legal, financial, tax, insurance, mental health, or other professional advice and should not be used as a substitute for guidance from an appropriately qualified professional.
Every situation is different. Information that applies in one circumstance may not apply to another. You are responsible for determining what is appropriate for your circumstances and when professional assistance is needed.
If you are experiencing a medical, safety, mental health, or other emergency, contact the appropriate emergency service or qualified professional.
Please review our for complete information about the scope and limitations of Crisis Navigations resources.
From the First Picture to a Complete System
This Resource can help you understand what to gather first. The Executor's Guide™ provides the structured system for organizing the complete estate: an asset inventory with field-level tracking, a call log, an expense tracker, a distribution tracker, a document locator, and a dashboard that keeps every next step together in one private place.
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