Checked against official SSA, IRS, USAGov and FTC pages on 2026-10-07. Rules change; the agency's or court's current instructions win.
The first 30 days and the other time frames in the kit are typical organizing phases, not legal deadlines; your court and state set the real deadlines.
An executor's legal duties come from state law and the court, so the place to learn yours is your state's court self-help page. For federal taxes, IRS Publication 559 sums up the role this way: "The primary duties of a personal representative are to collect all the decedent's assets, pay the decedent's creditors, and distribute the remaining assets to the heirs or other beneficiaries." It also explains who counts: "A personal representative of an estate is an executor, administrator, or anyone who is in charge of the decedent's property." (IRS)
What follows is organizing, not legal steps. It's the groundwork that makes the rest easier.
| ✓ | Organizing task | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Write down the key facts offices ask for (name, dates, last address, last 4 digits of the Social Security number; keep the full number private). | USAGov |
| ☐ | Find the documents: will or trust papers, deeds, titles, policies, statements, recent tax returns. | Planning aid |
| ☐ | Order certified death certificates; list who needs one. | USAGov |
| ☐ | Check that Social Security was told. SSA: "Funeral homes generally tell us when someone dies." | SSA |
| ☐ | Read your state's court self-help page and note your questions. | State court pages |
| ☐ | List accounts, property, bills and automatic payments. | Planning aid |
| ☐ | Start a log of every call, letter and expense. | Planning aid |
| ☐ | Read the IRS's EIN guidance. Publication 559: "The first action you should take if you're the personal representative for the decedent is to apply for an EIN for the estate." The IRS adds: "You never have to pay a fee for an EIN." | IRS |
The kit continues past day 30: the notices, Form 56, the final Form 1040, and records, with 11 forms in PDF and Word.
Get the Executor's Checklist (PDF + Word), $14
Instant download. 14-day no-questions refund. Edition 1.0, dated 2026-10-07. For use in any state; state court rules you look up on your state's own page.