Last Writes: A Blog About Death and Grief

Executor compensation, fiduciary duty, and co executor communication: how state fee rules work, what liability looks like, and how to avoid common mistakes.

Executor compensation fee schedules by state vary. This 2026 guide covers statutory percentages, court approval, and how to claim what you are owed.

Learn how to communicate estate updates to beneficiaries with copy and paste email templates, a realistic update cadence, and software walkthroughs.

Filing the final Form 1040, getting an estate EIN, and setting up the estate bank account — the full financial workflow for executors.

Executor keepsake decisions: how to handle memorials, heirlooms, ashes, and digital legacy as part of estate settlement, not as grief or tribute shopping.

Settling an estate takes 570 hours. Most executors try to do it alone until something goes wrong. Here is how to know when to call help in.

Nobody warned you that settling an estate is also a travel job. Here's how to do it without losing your mind or your savings.

When someone dies, you become legally responsible for their assets before you have the authority to act on them.

Being named executor can feel like a big job — and it is. This guide breaks down what executors actually do, how probate works, what expenses they handle, and how to manage the role without...

Executors are legally entitled to compensation in nearly every state. Here's what you can claim, how fees are calculated, and what most people don't know about getting paid for the hardest job you...

Every drawer is a decision. Every closet is a memory. A practical guide to sorting, selling, donating, and surviving the emotional weight of emptying a parent's home.

Someone you love just died. And now you've inherited 570 hours of admin across 20+ institutions that don't talk to each other. Here's what to do first, what can wait, and how to survive it.

When someone dies, their Social Security number is retired—but the estate still needs a tax ID to function. This guide explains what an estate EIN is, when it’s required, how to apply, and how...

Death certificates and letters testamentary serve very different roles after someone dies. This guide explains what each document does, when you need them, and why both are essential for managing...

Executors often miss valuable tax deductions after death. This checklist explains which expenses are deductible, where to claim them, and how Forms 1040 and 706 differ—so you don’t leave money on...

One of the first and biggest executor duties is asset collection. This step-by-step guide walks through documents, financial accounts, property, taxes, and personal items—so nothing gets missed...

Executor and administrator roles sound similar, but they’re not the same. This guide explains who appoints each role, how probate works with or without a will, and what responsibilities come with...