What an executor does in the first two weeks

Most of estate administration can wait. A small number of things cannot, and knowing which is which reduces the pressure considerably.

The first few days

Obtain certified death certificates. Order more than seems necessary — ten to fifteen is a reasonable starting point.

Almost every institution requires an original certified copy, and obtaining more later takes time.

These are typically ordered through the funeral director or the relevant vital records office.

Locate the will and any trust documents. Check the home, a safe, the attorney who drafted them, and any safe deposit box.

A safe deposit box can itself present a difficulty, since access after death may be restricted depending on titling and state law.

Check for funeral instructions. These are sometimes in the will, which is unhelpful if the will is not read until afterwards, and sometimes in a separate document or prepaid arrangement.

Secure the property. Change locks if keys are widely held. Remove valuables. Check that the home is heated in winter and that any pets are cared for.

Notify the insurer that the property is unoccupied, since standard policies may not cover vacancy and coverage can lapse without notice.

Arrange mail redirection, which is essential for discovering accounts, obligations and correspondence.

The first two weeks

Notify the immediate institutions. The bank, the employer or former employer, the pension provider, and the relevant government agencies.

Social Security should be notified promptly — payments received for the month of death may need to be returned, and this is straightforward if handled early.

Notify the credit bureaus, which reduces both collection contact and the risk of identity fraud, which is a genuine problem following a death.

Do not close accounts yet. Direct debits may need to continue for insurance and utilities, and closing accounts prematurely creates complications.

Cancelling automatic payments for subscriptions and services is worth doing early; closing the account is not.

Do not distribute anything. Nothing should leave the estate until debts, taxes and the creditor claim period have been dealt with.

Family members asking for items or money at this stage should be told, politely and clearly, that nothing can be distributed yet. This is one of the more difficult parts of the role.

Begin the inventory. Photograph the property and contents before anything is moved, which protects against later disputes about what existed.

Contact the attorney, if one is to be engaged, and begin the probate filing.

What does not need doing yet

Worth stating, because the pressure to act is considerable.

Clearing the house. Selling property. Deciding what to do with personal effects. Investment decisions. Anything involving beneficiaries receiving things.

All of this can wait weeks or months, and doing it under pressure produces mistakes.

Family members frequently push for the house to be cleared quickly. There is rarely any reason for haste, and there are good reasons for delay — including that items may need to be valued.

Records from the start

The habit that saves difficulty later.

Every expense paid, every asset identified, every communication, every decision and its reason.

An executor may need to account formally, and reconstructing records months later is difficult.

Personal expenses incurred on estate business — travel, postage, copying — are generally reimbursable, and only if recorded.

Communicating with beneficiaries

Establishing the pattern early prevents most later friction.

A short written note to all beneficiaries, explaining what the process involves, roughly how long it will take, and when they will next hear from you.

Then updates at defined intervals whether or not there is news.

Silence is interpreted as concealment, and most executor disputes begin with beneficiaries who felt they were not being told anything.

Looking after yourself

Worth stating.

An executor is generally grieving the same person, while performing an administrative role under scrutiny from family.

Delegating what can be delegated, engaging professionals, and setting realistic expectations about timescale are not weaknesses.

The estate can afford the fees. The executor cannot easily afford to become the family's focus of frustration for a year.

General information only, not legal advice. Procedures vary by state — consult a qualified attorney about your own circumstances.