Please bring the following information about the deceased:

  1. Name, including all aliases (alternate names or spellings that may have been used at any time during the decedent’s life);
  2. Citizenship;

  3. Social Security number;
  4. Date of death;
  5. Place (city and state) of death; and
  6. Residence address at time of death.

Bring the full names, citizenship, and residence address (or date and place of death) for the following people:

  1. All the beneficiaries named in the will;
  2. Any heirs who would have inherited, had there been no will;
  3. A spouse or registered domestic partner;
  4. Anyone else that is named in the will.

Information about the proposed Personal Representative that will be required:

  1. Name, including all aliases;
  2. Citizenship;
  3. Address (if you normally use a PO box, you must provide a street address as well);
  4. Phone number;
  5. Social Security number; and
  6. A tax identification number (EIN, Employer Identification Number), if you already have one.

These original documents:

  1. A certified copy of deceased’s Death Certificate; and
  2. If the deceased had a will, please bring the original Will.

Copies of the following signed original documents that you may have (we may need to retain these for reference while we work on your case and we would prefer that you safeguard the originals):

  1. If the deceased had a trust, bring a complete copy of the trust including signatures and amendments if any;
  2. Deeds to any real property;
  3. Statements from the lender for any encumbered real property;
  4. Recent statements for holdings detailed below; and
  5. Certificates of Title for any vehicles.

Please bring the following information about the value of the deceased’s estate:

  1. The estimated value of the following:
    1. Household contents;
    2. Cash and cash equivalents;
    3. Bank accounts (copy of recent statement for each account);
    4. Certificates of deposit (copy of recent statement for each);
    5. Vehicles (copy of the Certificate of Title showing the VIN number);
    6. Stocks (copy of recent brokerage statements); and
    7. Contents of safety deposit boxes.
  2. The estimated value of the following (also include information about any named beneficiaries as well as any available identifying numbers):
    1. Life insurance (copy of recent statement for each policy);
    2. Pensions (copy of recent statement for each); and
    3. IRAs (copy of recent statement for each).
  3. The following information for each piece of real property held at death:
    1. Address;
    2. Estimated value (a couple of on-line sites you might try for a rough estimate of the value are trulia.com and zillow.com);
    3. How it is held (for example: joint tenancy or tenants in common); and
    4. Any encumbrances (for example: deed of trust/mortgage, home equity line of credit, or reverse annuity).
  4. Estimated annual gross income, from:
    1. Any rented real property; and
    2. Personal property (stocks, bonds, savings accounts, certificates of deposit).
  5. Information about the decedent’s creditors:
    1. Name;
    2. Address; and
    3. Amount owed.