47 steps across four phases. Work at your own pace; everything saves automatically on this device. Each step notes why it matters. This is an organizer, not legal advice.
Everything the estate owns: accounts, property, vehicles, valuables. Estimated values are fine; the register keeps a running total.
| Asset | Institution / Location | Account / ID | Est. value ($) | Notes |
|---|
Everything the estate owes. Do not pay anything out of order; your attorney can confirm what order applies.
| Creditor | Type | Balance ($) | Status | Notes |
|---|
Money that comes in to the estate after the death: a final paycheck, a refund, a dividend, rent, the proceeds of a sale. The Expense log is what goes out; this is what comes in. Keeping both means you can show the whole picture later instead of rebuilding it from statements.
| Date | Source | What it was | Amount ($) | Deposited | Notes |
|---|
Track every estate expense and who paid it. Amounts you pay personally are usually reimbursable from the estate; the log totals them for you.
| Date | Description | Amount ($) | Paid by | Reimbursable |
|---|
Every person and institution in one place: attorney, court, banks, agencies, family.
| Name | Role | Phone | Notes |
|---|
One line per bank, insurer, employer, agency, or company. Record who you spoke with, the date, what they asked you to send, and whether it is done. Settling an estate takes months, and you will not remember in month nine what you were told in month two.
| Organization | Kind | Contacted | How | Spoke with | What they asked for | Sent on | Confirmation | Status |
|---|
Certified copies of the death certificate get sent out one at a time and do not always come back. Record where each one went and how many returned; the register keeps a running count of how many are still out, so you know when to order more before you run short.
| Sent to | What it was for | Date sent | Copies sent | Copies back | Still out | Do they return it? |
|---|
The 22 documents most estates need. Mark what you have and note where each one lives.
| Document | Status | Location / Notes |
|---|
Print a clean summary to bring to your attorney, or back up your work to a file you control.
The Estate Settlement Companion is an organizer. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Estate rules vary by state; for legal questions, consult a licensed attorney. All information you enter stays in this file's storage on your device and is never transmitted anywhere.