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The Estate Settlement Record Book

Named executor? Somebody has to tell the agencies, file the claims and keep track of it all for months.

The Estate Settlement Record Book

For the person handling things after a death.

When someone dies, somebody has to tell the agencies, order the certificates, file the claims, pay the bills, and keep track of all of it for months. This book is where you write down what you did, when, who you spoke to, and what came of it.

47 pages · 15 sections · 2,933 fill-in boxes · fillable or printable

It works when you type in it. The boxes line up and the Tab key moves through each page in reading order. It doesn't save itself, so the first page shows you exactly how to save your work.

The federal facts inside name their source and the date they were read, so you can check them yourself: who USA.gov says to notify, Social Security's one-time death payment and its deadline, the IRS forms an executor may need and their due dates, and what the FTC says about a relative's debts.

Fillable PDF on Etsy

What's inside

  1. Start here — the basics written once, and where the facts come from
  2. The first two weeks — things to see to, with room for the date and who did it
  3. Death certificates — how many were ordered, and where every copy went
  4. Who has been told — government, banks and cards, the credit bureaus, utilities, with reference numbers
  5. Call log — every call, both ways
  6. What they owned — value on the date of death and what became of it (plus a private page for full account numbers)
  7. What they owed — every debt that turns up, and what was done about it
  8. The estate's ledger — every dollar that came into or went out of the estate
  9. Claims and benefits — life insurance, pensions, Social Security, veterans' benefits
  10. Taxes — the IRS forms, who is preparing each one, and when it was filed
  11. Belongings — each item, who received it, dated and initialed
  12. Accounts, phones and mail — what was closed or kept
  13. Professionals and the court — who is handling what, fees, case number, hearing dates
  14. Unclaimed money — every state searched, and what was found
  15. Filled-in examples and notes
The sections inside The Estate Settlement Record Book
Sample pages from The Estate Settlement Record Book

What you get

  • The complete book as a fillable PDF: 47 pages, 15 sections, 2,933 fill-in boxes, and a CLEAR THIS PAGE button on every page that asks before it erases anything
  • A zip of the same book split into 15 separate section files, so you can open or print only the part you need
  • Every box prints as a bordered box to write in, so it works with a pen straight out of the printer

Who it's for

The executor, the surviving spouse, or the grown son or daughter doing the paperwork. Also a thoughtful thing to hand someone who has just been named executor.

Fillable PDF on Etsy

Common questions

What do I need to fill it in?

A computer and a free PDF program: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge (tested on a Windows computer). No account, no subscription, nothing to sign up for.

Does it save by itself?

No. The first page shows you exactly how to save your work in each of those programs.

Can I print it and use a pen instead?

Yes. Every box prints as a bordered line, so it works with a pen straight out of the printer. Print the whole thing or only the pages you need. US Letter, 8.5 x 11.

Is anything shipped?

No. It's a digital download from our Etsy shop. For personal use in one household.

Please read

This is an organizer, not a legal document, and it does not tell you what to do. Settling an estate is governed by state law; the rules differ from state to state and change over time, and nothing in this book tells you what your state requires. Nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice, and we are not attorneys or tax preparers. This book is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. For what the law requires of you, ask the probate court for the county or an attorney; for taxes, ask a tax preparer.

This item was created with the use of AI.