Estate Administration Notification Timeline
Timely notification of a client's death is crucial for effective estate administration. This guide explains when to start monitoring, how long to continue, and what documentation you need for court filings.
State Probate Compliance Requirements
Creditor notification statutes and "Reasonable Diligence" standards vary by state. Review the requirements for your jurisdiction:
The Critical First 72 Hours
The first 72 hours after a client's death set the tone for the entire administration. Obituaries typically appear within this window. During this period:
- Families are making funeral arrangements and contacting key people
- Obituaries are being written and submitted for publication
- Successor trustees or executors are identified
- Critical documents need to be located and secured
Attorneys who learn about a death early can reach out proactively, offering guidance during a difficult time and establishing themselves as the go-to resource for estate matters.
Typical Administration Monitoring Timeline
Month-by-Month Breakdown
Most users monitor for 2-6 months covering the typical administration period. Our plans are month-to-month with no long-term contracts, so you can pause or cancel when monitoring is no longer needed.
State-Specific Creditor Claim Periods
Your monitoring timeline should align with your state's creditor claim period. Key jurisdictions include:
- California: 4-month creditor claim period under Probate Code § 19040
- Texas: 1-month publication requirement under Estates Code § 308.051
- Florida: 3-month claims period with "reasonably ascertainable" creditor standard
- New York: 7-month fiduciary liability window under SCPA § 1801
- Illinois: 6-month general claims, 3-month for known creditors with direct notice
- Massachusetts: One-year claim period from date of death under MUPC
Visit our State Probate Coverage pages for detailed statutory requirements by jurisdiction.
When to Start Monitoring
For Existing Clients
Begin monitoring when you first establish a professional relationship. For estate planning clients, this means adding them to your monitoring list when you draft their documents. The cost of continuous monitoring is minimal compared to the value of timely notification.
For Trust Administration Engagements
When you're retained to administer a trust upon the grantor's death, monitoring begins immediately. You may also want to monitor key beneficiaries whose deaths would affect distribution.
For Probate Matters
In active probate matters, monitor parties whose deaths could affect the proceedings: beneficiaries, creditors, or co-personal representatives. See our guide on reasonable diligence for creditor notices.
Flexible Month-to-Month Plans
Most estate matters resolve within 6 months. Our plans have no long-term contracts, so you pay only for the monitoring period you need. Cancel anytime.
Documentation for Court Filings
Courts increasingly expect documentation of systematic monitoring efforts. Our audit logs provide:
- Unique Report Identifiers: Each report has a verifiable ID that can be checked independently
- Timestamp Records: When monitoring began, when checks occurred, when alerts were delivered
- Source Coverage: Documentation of the 2,500+ sources monitored
- Certification Language: Pre-written text suitable for court filings
- Negative Search Certificates: Proof of monitoring when no death was found
Proactive vs. Reactive Administration
Traditional (Reactive) Approach
Wait for family members to contact the firm. This often means:
- Delays of days or weeks before you learn of the death
- Family may have already made decisions without legal guidance
- Critical deadlines may have already begun running
- Perception that the firm is not proactive or attentive
Modern (Proactive) Approach
Automated monitoring alerts you within hours of obituary publication:
- Reach out to families before they think to call you
- Provide guidance during the critical first days
- Maximum time to address all administration requirements
- Demonstrate attentive, modern practice
- Generate referrals from impressed family members
Start Monitoring Your Client Portfolio
Professional plans start at $249/month for 100 names with court-ready audit logs, Negative Search Certificates, and team collaboration features. Bulk import makes it easy to add your entire client list.
Integration with Practice Management
For firms using Clio, MyCase, or similar practice management software, our API and Zapier integrations allow automatic synchronization of monitoring data. Death alerts can trigger matter creation, time entries, and workflow automation without manual data entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I monitor for estate administration purposes?
Most estate administration monitoring runs 2-6 months, covering the typical creditor claim period and trust administration timeline. Professional plans are month-to-month with no long-term contracts, so you can pause or cancel when monitoring is no longer needed.
When should estate administration monitoring begin?
Ideally, monitoring begins when you first establish a professional relationship with a client whose death you'll need to track. For existing clients, begin monitoring immediately upon taking the engagement.
What happens after a death is detected?
Upon detection, you'll receive an alert with the obituary details. You can then initiate trust administration, notify beneficiaries, file creditor notices, and begin the probate process if necessary. The audit log documents your timely response.
Can I monitor multiple estates simultaneously?
Yes. Professional plans allow monitoring of 100-1,000+ individuals across multiple pending estates. Bulk import via CSV makes it easy to add entire client portfolios.
What documentation do I receive for court filings?
Our audit logs include unique report identifiers, timestamps, source coverage details, and certification language. Negative Search Certificates document monitoring periods where no death was found. All reports are exportable as PDFs.
Court-Ready Death Verification Reports
Satisfy fiduciary diligence requirements with PDF audit logs featuring timestamped screenshots, source URLs, and certification of reasonable effort across 2,500+ obituary sources.
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