Search state guides, practical articles, probate explainers, and estate planning resources by topic or state.
Learn what each estate planning document does, from will and trust to power of attorney, where to keep the originals, and how to hand them to a caregiver.
Planning an estate without children means filling every role yourself. See who can serve as your agent, backup, executor, or payee, and how to prepare.
A homeowners policy does not cancel when the policyholder dies. Learn who notifies the insurer, which documents carriers want, and how vacancy changes coverage.
Cleaning out a parent's house starts with papers and preservation, not dumpsters. Learn who may act, what to keep or shred, and how to donate or dispose.
Find a deceased person's life insurance with the free NAIC locator, the paid MIB search, employer and union checks, and state unclaimed programs.
Help an aging parent manage bills without taking over their accounts. Learn each permission option, from statement copies to POA and representative payee.
An FHA-insured reverse mortgage comes due when the last borrower dies. Heirs get a Due and Payable Notice, then 30 days to repay, sell, or hand back the deed.
Search official state programs for unclaimed money from a deceased relative. Use mail as a clue, verify any match, and check the claim rules for your role.
There is no single deadline for a deceased person’s paperwork. See what to keep for taxes, probate, medical and property records, and when copies are enough.
A lease does not end automatically at death. The estate owes the rent, and state statutes set how a deceased tenant’s lease ends and who receives the deposit.
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