How to Organize Information and Documentation for Estate Administration in Pennsylvania: A Timeline for Personal Representatives

Personal representatives of estates are responsible for managing a decedent’s property and affairs and carrying out a decedent’s wishes after death. When a personal representative is named in a Will they are called an “Executor” and when there is no Will they are appointed by the Register of Wills and called an “Administrator.”

When you serve as the personal representative of an estate, determining what documentation and information is important to keep and organize can be confusing. Based on our experience working with Executors and Administrators in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, we put together the below list of documents and information that we recommend you gather and keep. Generally, you should scan everything. If you are in doubt about whether you may need a certain document, scan it and keep it in your files. We recommend getting a scanner or using a scanner app on your phone for this.

To give you an idea of when you will need each item, the list is organized according to a general timeline of the estate administration process. This list is not meant to be comprehensive; our goal is to give you a sense of the information we find is often useful so that you can save time tracking down documents later.

1. Before or Right at Opening the Estate (Weeks 1–4)
Focus: Understand the decedent’s wishes and get authority to act.

• Original Will and Codicils;

• Trust documents;

• Memoranda regarding the disposition of tangible personal property;

• Letters explaining the decedent’s wishes regarding specific assets, pets, and funeral arrangements;

• Ownership documents related to the decedent’s assets (like a car title);

• Death certificates (you should request 10 copies) – used to probate the estate, claim certain assets, and notify institutions;

• Short Certificates (you should request 10 copies) – obtained shortly after probate, you’ll need them to prove your authority as Executor or Administrator.

2. Early Administration / Initial Information Gathering (Months 1–3)
Focus: Build a full picture of assets and debts as of the decedent’s date of death; this is important for inheritance/estate taxes.

• Monthly bank statements for the decedent’s lifetime accounts (covering the last 6–12 months, often used early to confirm balances and transactions around death);

• Paperwork related to beneficiary designations and beneficiary designated assets (life insurance, retirement accounts, POD/TOD accounts, etc.);

• Tax documents, including copies of the decedent’s tax returns filed in previous years; and

• Documentation as to the value of each of the decedent’s assets as of date of death, or as close as possible:

  • Letter from the asset holder listing the “date of death” value;

  • Statement covering the date of decedent’s death;

  • Appraisal (real estate, closely held business interests, valuable personal property);

  • For refunds, a copy of the check if there was no other documentation;

  • For accounts that passed directly to a beneficiary, any check or statement showing the amount distributed and, if possible, documentation of what percentage of the total account that distribution represented.

3. Ongoing Administration / Paying Bills and Tracking Cash Flow (Months 1–24)
Focus: Pay expenses and debts, keep good records for estate income tax returns and accountings, if needed.

• Monthly bank statements for all estate accounts (ongoing as long as the estate remains open) as well as for lifetime accounts that were left open after death;

• Tax documents related to estate assets;

• Monthly statements and other documentation related to the decedent’s debts (credit cards, loans, medical bills; gathered early, updated as new statements/claims arrive);

• Bills and invoices for debts as of death and post death expenses, including funeral and memorial service expenses (collected and paid as they arise, usually early in administration);

• Receipts for estate related expenses, including upkeeping and maintaining the decedent’s real estate (utilities, repairs, insurance, property management, etc.; kept continually);

• Records and receipts for expenses you and others pay personally that will require reimbursement by the estate (keep from the very beginning and throughout the administration);

• A record of the time you spend on estate administration;

  • Start this immediately and maintain it consistently (tasks performed, dates, and approximate time spent).

Having these documents ready when you need them helps facilitate a smooth estate administration process. Engaging an experienced law firm like ours is a good way to ensure all aspects of the estate administration process are handled correctly from start to finish, while limiting a personal representative’s exposure to liability from potential mistakes. Much of the above information can be gathered directly by the personal representative of an estate, but if you decide to engage a law firm to assist with estate administration they can help you access this information.

If you have questions about this or other matters related to our practice areas, please click here to get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to speak with you.