Executor checklist and estate binder with step by step task pages

This executor checklist gives a new executor or personal representative a gentle, orderly way to settle the estate of someone they loved. Across 40 undated pages you get task lists for the first days, weeks and months, plus contacts, an inventory of accounts and assets, debts and bills, a notifications log, a documents checklist, expense and distribution records and meeting notes. It comes as a US Letter and an A4 PDF that you download right away. Nothing is mailed to you.

Grief and paperwork tend to arrive together. Let these pages carry the dates, names and numbers so you can give your attention to your family.

How the executor checklist keeps you steady

Three task pages break the work into stages, each with 12 to 14 general steps and a column for the date you finished. You always know what is complete and what is next. Two notification pages with 20 rows apiece capture who you told, the date, the method, the person you spoke to and any reference number, while separate call and mail logs put every conversation and letter on paper.

Accounts, property, insurance and debts are recorded with the last 4 digits only, so the inventory is complete without full numbers. Two expense pages, a money received page and an estate account register document each amount coming in and going out for the final accounting. The binder closes with distribution records and a list for closing the estate.

Who this estate binder is for

• Spouses and adult children recently named executor or personal representative
• Relatives helping a parent or family member settle the estate of a loved one
• Anyone who wants each call, letter, payment and choice written down before the final accounting
• People who would rather use paper than spreadsheets and want one binder to bring to the attorney

Design and printing details

• Clean, elegant layout with white pages and soft blush pink accents that need very little ink
• Generous margins on every page, so a home printer will not trim anything
• Portrait pages in two sizes: US Letter, 8.5 by 11 inches, and A4, 210 by 297 mm
• Undated, so you can begin any day and print the logs again whenever you need more
• Pages for accounts, insurance and debts ask only for the last 4 digits, never a full account number
• Gentle, respectful wording, with space to note who is supporting you and private notes for yourself
• Keep it in a ring binder or on a clipboard, or ask a print shop to spiral bind it

Inside the executor checklist: 40 pages

1. 1Cover showing a contents list
2. 2Start here, explaining the 7 sections of the binder, tips for using it, supplies to gather and a disclaimer
3. 3Estate at a glance: full name, the dates and place they passed, final address, marital status, any will or trust, the executor plus a co-executor, important dates, the court reference number and the spot where original papers are stored
4. 4First days, 12 tasks to check off with a date column, plus room for your helpers and notes
5. 5First weeks, 14 dated tasks such as contacting the attorney, starting probate, getting the authority to act, opening an estate account and informing institutions, plus a waiting on box and notes
6. 6First months, 14 dated tasks such as the inventory, appraisals, paying debts, final tax returns, the final accounting, distribution and closing, plus a waiting on box and notes
7. 7Timeline and key dates, a deadlines table of 14 rows and an overview of six months
8. 8Contacts for professionals, a 12 row table (the attorney, an accountant or advisor, the funeral home, a court clerk, an appraiser and more), agreed fees and notes
9. 9Institutions and companies, a 16 row table with best times to call
10. 10Beneficiaries and family, an 11 row table, the way you will share updates, guardians and dependents and a log of updates already sent
11. 11Documents checklist naming 16 key documents with 2 extra blank rows; mark each as found, note where it is kept and who has copies, then list papers you are still looking for and the safe deposit box
12. 12Death certificate tracker, a 16 row table showing where every copy was sent and 15 circles you can mark as copies are used
13. 13Cash and bank accounts, a 13 row table: institution, account type, the last 4 digits, owner, POD beneficiary, value and status
14. 14Retirement and investment accounts, a 13 row table: institution, account type, the last 4 digits, beneficiary, value, whether a claim is filed, and status
15. 15Property and real estate, room for 2 properties, a table for appraisals and notes
16. 16Personal property and vehicles, a vehicles table of 4 rows, a valuables table of 11 rows and storage units
17. 17Benefits and insurance, an 8 row table of policies and claims, a benefits table and a list of policies that must stay active
18. 18Subscriptions and digital accounts, a 13 row table plus devices and any photos or files worth saving
19. 19Claims and debts, a 14 row table: creditor, debt type, the last 4 digits, balance owed, date notified, whether a claim arrived, paid, and the date
20. 20Utilities and recurring bills, a 14 row table, autopays that need stopping and refunds you are owed
21. 21 to 22Notifications log, 20 rows on each page for the date, the person or company told, the method, your contact there, any reference and the follow up
22. 23Phone call log holding 6 call boxes
23. 24Mail log, an 18 row table plus mail forwarding
24. 25 to 26Expense log for the estate, 21 rows per page, columns for receipts and reimbursements and a total at the bottom of each page
25. 27Money received and income, a 16 row table, amounts still expected and notes
26. 28Register for the estate account: the bank, last 4 digits of the account, opening date, then 23 rows for the date, a description, reference, deposits, withdrawals and the balance
27. 29Care log for the house and property, covering house checks and repairs
28. 30Personal property distribution, a 16 row table with a column for a signed receipt
29. 31Distribution notes, a 12 row table of beneficiary distributions and a checklist for the final accounting
30. 32Tax notes, a table of returns and tax items, papers your accountant will need and questions to ask the accountant
31. 33 to 35Meeting notes pages with questions to raise, documents to take along, a summary of the conversation, decisions made and the next steps
32. 36Questions for professionals, 18 rows for the question, who to ask, the answer and the date
33. 37Tracker for open tasks, 22 rows showing each task, what it is waiting on, the due date and a done mark
34. 38Closing the estate, 10 steps each with a date, the records worth keeping, the day the estate was closed and a list of thank you notes
35. 39Executor's notes, a page just for you with prompts for people I can call, things I can hand off, memories I want to keep and notes to myself
36. 40Lined notes page

Files in your download

• Estate Executor Checklist & Binder in US Letter, a 40 page PDF
• Estate Executor Checklist & Binder in A4, a 40 page PDF
• Read Me First, a brief printing guide (PDF)

How to download and print

• Check out with PayPal, a debit or credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your download page opens as soon as the payment goes through.
• We email the same private download links to you, so you can download your files again later.
• Open the PDF in a free reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader and print at 100% or Actual size.
• Print only the pages you need, as often as you like, for your own personal use.

Before you buy

• This is a print-ready PDF, not a hyperlinked digital planner. If you prefer a tablet, most note taking apps will let you import the file and write on the pages.
• You receive a digital file only. Nothing physical is shipped.
• Colors on your screen may differ slightly from the printed page.
• Licensed for your own personal use. Sharing, reselling or passing the files on is not allowed.
• Digital files cannot be returned. If a file will not open or print properly, email us and we will help right away.
• These pages help you get organized; they do not give legal, tax or financial advice. What an executor must do, and by when, depends on where you live and on the estate itself, so check every step with a qualified attorney or accountant.
• It is meant for handling things after a death. If you want to record your own wishes and paperwork in advance, our End of Life Planner was made for that.
• Keep the finished binder in a secure place. Leave out complete account numbers, ID numbers, PINs and passwords entirely.
• The pages mention no brand names.

How this was made

Designed and written by PetiteDiary. AI tools helped draft parts of the text, and some background scenes in the preview images were created with AI. Every page was designed, reviewed and checked before release.

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