2 formats
The Estate Record
A working record for settling an estate — executor duties, the inventory, the accounting, and closing. Built for the person doing this for the first time.
One purchase. Fillable PDF and print PDF, together — fill it on screen, print a copy, or both.
Need both records? The Household + Estate pair covers now and after — one purchase.
All sales are final. This is a digital download — once payment is received, no refunds are given.
- Instant download
- Fillable PDF
- Print PDF
- Nothing stored online
Why this exists
The job no one trains you for.
Most executors are handed the role at the worst possible moment — in grief, with no manual, and with a court quietly expecting an inventory, an accounting, and a closing it can follow. The Estate Record is the working record that sits between you and that court.
It doesn't give you legal advice. It gives you a place to write everything down — the first-two-weeks decisions, the inventory, the ledger, and the reconciliation — in the order a probate court will want to see it.
60
pages of guided, fill-in worksheets
7
parts, from the first two weeks to closing
10
inventory schedules, A through J
2
formats — fillable PDF + print PDF
What's inside
Seven parts. One complete record.
The First Two Weeks
What to do — and what not to — before anything else
Do You Even Need Probate?
Nine answers that shape every decision
The Inventory
Everything the estate owns, valued at the date of death
Debts, Claims and Taxes
What the estate owes — to whom, and when
The Accounting
One equation, kept honestly, from the first day to the last
Closing
Distributing the estate and signing off
Logs
The paper trail, kept in one place
The full contents
Every page, end to end
The First Two Weeks
Not Yet
The five things not to do in the first fourteen days: don't pay debts, don't give away items, don't close accounts, don't sell anything, and don't move money into personal accounts.
What Happened
A running log of every event and date from the moment you learned of the death — the timeline you'll be asked for again and again.
The First Three Questions
The three questions that decide everything that follows: is there a will, what's in the estate, and does this need probate at all.
Do You Even Need Probate?
The Nine Answers to Find
Filing deadlines, small-estate procedures, creditor claim periods, accounting schedules, and bond requirements — the nine things your court actually cares about.
Finding Your Own Deadlines
County, court name, address, clerk's phone, and website. The clerk is allowed to help you — up to a point.
Compensation & State Tax
Two more worth asking about: how executor compensation is set in your state, and whether a state estate or inheritance tax applies.
The Inventory
Real property
Address, how titled, date-of-death value, and mortgage balance.
Vehicles and titled property
Make, model, VIN, title, and date-of-death value.
Bank and credit union accounts
Institution, account type, last four, and balance at death.
Investment and brokerage accounts
Institution, account number, holdings, and date-of-death value.
Retirement accounts
Provider, account type, beneficiary, and date-of-death value.
Life insurance and annuities
Carrier, policy number, beneficiary, and face value.
Business interests
Entity, ownership percentage, and date-of-death value.
Personal property and valuables
Item, description, and date-of-death value.
Digital accounts and assets
Service, access method, and date-of-death value.
Money owed to the estate
Debtor, description, and amount owed.
Debts, Claims and Taxes
Notice to Creditors
How and when creditors are notified, and the claim period that follows — the clock that decides which debts get paid.
Order of Payment
The legal priority for paying debts and claims, so the right people are paid in the right order.
Taxes
Final income tax, estate tax, and any state inheritance tax — what's filed, when, and by whom.
The Accounting
The Equation
Beginning balance + Receipts − Disbursements = Assets on hand. The reconciliation a probate court actually checks.
The Estate Ledger
A running ledger of every receipt and disbursement, dated and described — the spine of the whole accounting.
Receipts, Disbursements & Assets on Hand
The monthly reconciliation that proves the ledger matches the bank statement, down to the dollar.
The Voucher Log
Every disbursement tied to a supporting document, numbered and filed — so nothing is paid without a paper trail.
Executor Expenses & Compensation
Your own costs tracked separately, so they're paid back cleanly and defensibly.
Closing
Distribution Schedule
Who receives what, and in what proportion — mapped to the will or the state's default.
Receipts and Releases
A signed release from each beneficiary before any distribution — the document that closes the file.
Final Accounting
The complete accounting, presented for approval — the last thing the court sees before closing.
Logs
Contact Log
Every call — date, organization, who you spoke to, what about, and the reference number. The log that saves the next call.
Document Log
Every document received and filed, with where the original lives and who has a copy.
Correspondence
Letters and emails in and out, dated and referenced to the file.
The accounting
Beginning balance + Receipts − Disbursements = Assets on hand
One equation, kept honestly from the first day to the last. Fill in the two shaded cells each month — don't wait until the end.
Look inside
A working record, not a textbook
Two formats, one purchase
Fill it on screen. Print a copy. Or both.
Fillable PDF
Type straight into every schedule, ledger, and log. Opens in any free PDF reader — Adobe Reader, Preview, or Edge. Save it, update it, and keep a copy where you can find it.
- Type, save, and re-edit
- No software to buy
- Stays on your computer
Print PDF
A clean, print-optimized copy on standard letter paper. Print the whole workbook or just the schedules you need — a binder for yourself, or a few pages for a co-executor.
- Prints on any home printer
- Standard letter size
- The version to keep in a binder
Plus the Estate Ledger spreadsheet. The inventory, ledger, and monthly reconciliation in Excel — if you'd rather total it automatically.
Who it's for
For the person holding the file.
Named executors
First-time executors with no roadmap — the person the court will look to for an inventory, an accounting, and a closing it can follow.
Co-executors & family
An adult child or spouse settling a parent's or partner's estate, often alongside a sibling — one shared record keeps everyone aligned.
People planning ahead
Anyone who'd rather understand the shape of the job now, and have the worksheets ready, than build it from scratch under pressure.
A working record, not legal advice.
The Estate Record is an organizer to help you gather and keep information. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not a substitute for an attorney or accountant. Probate rules and deadlines vary by state and county — verify the requirements for your jurisdiction with your local court or a qualified professional.
Read the full terms →FAQ
Before you buy
Is this legal advice?+
No. The Estate Record is a working organizer — it helps you gather and keep the information an attorney or probate court will ask for. It does not replace a lawyer, and it doesn't tell you what to decide. It tells you what to find and what to keep.
Is this a physical book?+
No — it's a digital download. You get three files: a fillable PDF you can type into, a print PDF for a clean printed copy to keep in a binder or hand to a co-executor, and the Estate Ledger spreadsheet.
Who is this for?+
Named executors, co-executors, and the adult child or spouse settling a family member's estate — most often someone doing this for the first time, with no prior experience and no roadmap.
Do I need to be in probate already?+
No. Part One is built for the first two weeks — before probate is filed, and including whether you need it at all. You can start the same day you're asked.
Do I get both formats?+
Yes. One purchase includes both the fillable and the print PDF — fill it on screen, print a copy, or do both. The Estate Ledger spreadsheet is included as well, if you'd rather total the accounting automatically.
Is my information stored online?+
No. You fill the workbook in on your own computer or on paper. Nothing is uploaded — the estate's details stay with you.
Do I need any special software?+
No. The fillable PDF opens in any free PDF reader (Adobe Reader, Preview, Edge). The print PDF prints on any home or office printer on standard letter paper. The spreadsheet opens in Excel, Numbers, or Google Sheets — and it's optional: every schedule it covers is already in the PDFs.
What is your refund policy?+
All sales are final. Because this is a digital download that can't be returned once you've received it, no refunds are given after purchase. If a file is damaged or a download fails, contact Support and we'll make it right.
Start the record this week.
One purchase. Both formats. A working record you can begin on day one — the first two weeks, the inventory, and the accounting.
Also from Resilient Edge Group
The Household Record
A guided workbook for organizing your digital accounts, passwords, and monthly budget — in fillable and print formats.
