As the executor of your loved one’s estate, you have a lot of duties to handle – not the least of which is preserving the estate’s assets.
To that end, it may fall to you to clean out your loved one’s home. Since much of what the home contains may be part of the estate, your initial actions should be focused largely on inventorying assets and making sure that the home isn’t damaged through neglect. Here are some important steps to take.
Gather all important documents
If you’re fortunate, your loved one had the foresight to make sure you know where to locate their original will and other estate-related documents. However, you’ll still need to gather other important documents, such as their insurance policies (including home insurance), bank account statements, credit card bills, investment records and other financial papers. That will help you do your job as their executor.
Clean out the refrigerator and cupboards
This may seem like a small thing, but it’s important. Empty the fridge so that the appliance doesn’t get ruined as food spoils. Similarly, you should empty the kitchen of any perishable food or food that might attract mice or other pests. That will help minimize the possibility of an infestation in the empty home.
Change the locks and access codes
You have no real way of knowing if your loved one had a “hidden” key that could be found and used by someone else – or who might have knowledge of any security codes. Change everything and keep the new keys and codes to yourself until the estate is settled.
Forward the mail
As soon as the court gives you permission, have all the important mail forwarded to another address. That will prevent mail from piling up and someone using what they can manage to steal your loved one’s identity.
Take inventory of everything
If you’re unsure of how to document the home’s contents, take photos or videos as you go from one room to another. That can help you document what the house contains (and doesn’t contain) later, if need be. That will also help you get a sense of what assets may need to be professionally appraised as part of the estate.
Legal guidance can help you make sure that you handle all of the practical aspects of your role as efficiently as possible.