Search state guides, practical articles, probate explainers, and estate planning resources by topic or state.
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.
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.
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.
A mortgage does not end at death. See who should keep paying, when heirs usually are not liable, servicer confirmation steps, and FHA and VA transfer rules.
When a pet owner dies, feeding, care, and records become same-day tasks. This guide covers immediate care, caregiver handoff, and chip and vet record changes.
Learn how to forward mail after death, check USPS authority and ID requirements, handle former-resident mail, and prepare a printable Post Office visit card.
An estate inventory lists everything a person owned at death with date-of-death values. How to find every account, value each asset, and file with the court.
Use an in case of death binder to record where documents are kept and whom to contact. Print a private location worksheet with a clearly labeled sample.
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