Probate a parent's estate as the executor
An estate administered end to end — will filed and letters testamentary obtained, creditors noticed, an estate EIN and checking account opened, the inventory and appraisement filed on time, creditor claims audited against the statutory window, and assets distributed against signed beneficiary receipts.
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Who it's for
Adult children named as executor (or first in line to administer) for a parent's estate of roughly $50,000–$500,000 that has a valid will and no trust. It fits estates without family disputes or an ongoing business, and executors who can complete court forms and keep a spreadsheet.
About this playbook
This guide walks an executor through a parent's probate from the first days after death to the final order of discharge. You will secure the estate, open the case in the county probate court, obtain letters testamentary, stand up the estate's EIN and bank account, publish and mail notice to creditors, file the inventory and appraisement on schedule, audit and settle creditor claims, and distribute assets against signed receipts. Every step names the form, the office, and the deadline that applies, and the tracking ledger keeps the whole case on schedule. It does not cover contested wills, estate tax planning, or trusts, and it is not legal advice — for an uncontested estate it is a complete working checklist.
What you'll do, step by step
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Phase 1: Secure the estate in the first two weeks
0/5The first two weeks after the death: gather certified death certificates, locate the will, secure the property, stop recurring benefits, and build the tracking system every later deadline depends on.
- 30 min
- 1 hour 30 min
- 0/51 hour
- 1 hour
Phase 2: Open the probate case in county court
5 stepsPhase 3: Set up the estate and give notice to creditors
5 stepsPhase 4: Inventory the estate and settle claims and taxes
5 stepsPhase 5: Distribute the estate and close the case
5 stepsDetails
What you need first
The parent has died and you are named executor in the will or are otherwise entitled to administer. You can obtain certified death certificates and access the family's papers. The estate is below the federal estate tax exemption and holds no operating business. You can work with the probate court in the county where the parent lived, and you are prepared to wait out the court's hearing and filing windows.
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I cover contracts, rights and everyday legal situations. My playbooks say plainly what to do first and where the time goes.
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