Estate Settlement Guides

Plain-English answers to the questions executors and families ask after a loss.

Executor Checklist: A Step-by-Step Guide to Settling an Estate

Every task an executor needs to handle, in the order things actually happen — from the first phone calls to filing the final return.

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How to Divide Estate Items Fairly Between Siblings

Five methods for splitting a parent's belongings between siblings — from round-robin picks to the points-based Family Asset Auction.

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How to Track Estate Income and Expenses

How Estate Steps helps you record income and expenses, attach receipts, log executor time and mileage, import bank statements, and produce a final accounting.

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Probate Asset Inventory: What Executors Need to Know

What courts require, how to value each asset class, and how to keep your asset list organized so the inventory isn't where your estate stalls.

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What Documents Does an Executor Need? Complete Checklist

Every document an executor needs to gather — in the order you'll need them, with where to find each one and how to keep them from getting lost.

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How to Clean Out a Deceased Parent's House

A compassionate sequence for clearing out a parent's home — what to do in the first month, what can wait, and what to never throw away.

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