What is the checklist for handling an estate?
After a death, there is little room for grief – and many organizational and legal steps at the same time. This checklist provides practical guidance on the first tasks and the order in which to handle them. It does not replace legal or tax advice.
Why did we create the checklist?
Keeping an overview helps you meet deadlines, avoid mistakes and decide on a clearer basis whether to accept or renounce an inheritance. A well-documented picture of assets, contracts and access credentials, prepared in advance, makes it much easier for family members to settle the estate.
What does the checklist contain?
- 5 steps from immediate action through to settling the estate
- Guidance on securing the estate, reviewing it, observing deadlines, deciding and winding up
- Key deadlines, including the renunciation period (generally 6 weeks)
- Short notes on liability, inheritance tax and proving heir status to banks and authorities
Who is the checklist for?
- Relatives who need to sort the next steps after a death
- Anyone who wants to understand in advance what an estate case involves
- People who need a compact sequence rather than a long brochure
