Being named executor is one of the most significant responsibilities a person can take on — and most people feel underprepared. The first 30 days are the most critical. Get these right and the rest of the administration becomes manageable. Miss them and you risk delays, creditor complications, and personal liability.

This is your complete, prioritized checklist for the first 30 days.

Disclaimer: This is general educational information only — not legal advice. Executor duties vary by jurisdiction. Consult a qualified estate planning attorney for guidance specific to your situation and location.

Before You Begin: Two Things to Understand

You are not personally liable for the estate's debts. You administer estate assets to pay estate debts — you are never personally on the hook for the deceased's obligations (unless you were already liable independently).

You have fiduciary duties. You are legally obligated to act in the best interests of the estate and its beneficiaries — keeping careful records, not favoring one beneficiary over another, not mixing estate funds with your own.

Week 1 (Days 1–7): Immediate Priorities

1. Locate the Original Will

Search: the deceased's home (safe, filing cabinet), their attorney's office (many hold originals), their bank's safe deposit box, and their accountant or financial advisor. The original signed will — not a copy — is what courts and financial institutions require.

2. Obtain Multiple Certified Death Certificates

Order 10–15 certified copies from the funeral home or vital statistics office ($10–$25 each). You'll need them for: opening probate, accessing bank accounts, claiming life insurance, notifying government agencies, and transferring real estate. Running out causes delays.

3. Secure the Estate's Physical Property

• Real estate: ensure properties are locked, secured, and insured (notify the home insurer — vacant properties may need special coverage)
• Vehicles: confirm insurance is active
• Valuables: document with photos and notes — this starts your inventory
• Mail: arrange to have mail collected to prevent important documents from being missed

4. Notify Immediate Family and Named Beneficiaries

Notify close family and named beneficiaries promptly. Keep communication factual: confirm their status, explain you're the executor, set realistic timeline expectations (estate administration typically takes 9–18 months).

5. Contact an Estate Attorney

Professional legal counsel is strongly recommended for any estate with meaningful complexity. Attorney fees are paid from the estate. You likely need an attorney if: the estate contains real estate or business interests, the will may be contested, there are tax obligations, or there are minor children or disabled beneficiaries.

6. Notify the Deceased's Employer and Benefits Administrator

Contact the employer to confirm end of employment, collect any outstanding pay or vacation accruals, initiate pension or group benefit claims, and claim any employer group life insurance.

Week 2 (Days 8–14): Financial and Legal Foundations

7. Open an Estate Bank Account

You must keep estate funds entirely separate from your personal funds. To open the account you'll need your Letters Testamentary (issued after filing for probate), a certified death certificate, the estate's EIN/BN, and photo ID for yourself.

8. Obtain a Tax Identification Number for the Estate

• US: Apply for an EIN from the IRS at IRS.gov — takes minutes online
• Canada: Apply for a Business Number (BN) from the CRA

The estate is a separate legal entity and needs its own tax ID for the estate bank account and tax filings.

9. Initiate Probate at the Court

File the will and your application to be appointed executor at the appropriate probate court in the jurisdiction where the deceased was domiciled. You'll receive Letters Testamentary (US) or a Grant of Probate / Certificate of Appointment (Canada) — your official authorization to act. No institution will deal with you without this document.

10. Begin Asset Inventory

Create a comprehensive list of every estate asset:

• Financial accounts (bank, investment, RRSP/RRIF, 401(k)/IRA, pension, crypto)
• Real property (primary residence, vacation, rental, business real estate)
• Personal property (vehicles, jewelry, collectibles, art)
• Business interests and intellectual property
• Life insurance policies
• Money owed to the deceased, tax refunds expected

Record: what it is, where it's held, account/title number, and approximate date-of-death value.

11. Identify All Debts and Obligations

Catalogue everything the estate owes: mortgage, credit cards, personal loans, taxes, utility accounts, pending judgments. Do not pay debts immediately — understand priority rules in your jurisdiction first. Paying lower-priority creditors before higher-priority ones can create personal liability.

Week 3 (Days 15–21): Notifications and Ongoing Administration

12. Notify Government Agencies

• US: Social Security Administration (stop/return any payments received after death), Medicare, Veterans Affairs, state tax agency
• Canada: Service Canada (cancel CPP/OAS/EI), CRA, Veterans Affairs Canada, provincial health authorities

13. Contact Life Insurance Companies

Each insurer needs: a completed claim form, certified death certificate, and the original policy. Life insurance with a named beneficiary passes outside the estate directly to the beneficiary — not through probate. But if the estate is the named beneficiary, or no beneficiary is named, the proceeds form part of the probate estate.

14. Notify Financial Institutions

Contact every bank and brokerage. For accounts with named beneficiaries (POD/TOD/RRSP/TFSA/IRA/401(k)), those pass directly to beneficiaries — but the institution still needs notification. For accounts solely in the deceased's name without beneficiary designations, you'll need your Letters Testamentary to gain access.

15. Cancel Unnecessary Services and Subscriptions

Cancel streaming services, gym memberships, professional associations, and automatic payments as appropriate. Do not cancel homeowner's or vehicle insurance until those assets are transferred or sold.

Week 4 (Days 22–30): Communication and Tax Preparation

16. Send Formal Notice to Beneficiaries

Most jurisdictions require formal written notice to beneficiaries and heirs within 30–60 days of probate opening. This informs them of their rights, including the right to contest the will.

17. Publish Notice to Creditors (If Required)

Many US states require publication in a local newspaper to formally start the creditor claim period (3–9 months depending on jurisdiction). Check with your estate attorney on requirements for the specific jurisdiction.

18. Gather Tax Documents for the Final Return

The executor must file the deceased's final income tax return:

• US (Form 1040): due April 15 of the following year (extensions available)
• Canada (T1): due April 30 of the following year (or 6 months after death if after October 31)

Gather: prior year returns, T4/T3/T5 slips or W-2/1099 forms for the year of death, RRSP/RRIF records, investment account statements.

19. Communicate Progress to Beneficiaries

By end of month one, send beneficiaries a brief written update: probate is open, here's the rough timeline, no distributions until debts and taxes are resolved. Transparency prevents disputes.

20. Organize Your Executor Records

From day one, build a paper trail of every decision: court and institution correspondence, expense receipts, asset valuations, decision rationale notes, estate bank statements. This forms the basis of your Final Accounting to beneficiaries and protects you personally if any decision is ever challenged.

What Comes After the First 30 Days

Over the next 6–18 months: complete the formal asset inventory and appraisals, receive and adjudicate creditor claims, file the estate tax return (due 9 months from death if applicable), sell assets that need liquidation, prepare the final accounting, distribute to beneficiaries, obtain releases, and formally close the estate.

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