Using EstateExec

If you are using EstateExec to make things easier for the eventual executor of your own estate...

1. Personal Info: Start by filling out some basic information about yourself (e.g., birth date, legal address, etc.) on the Decedent Tab. Upload any funeral wishes or plans you may have made, so they can be quickly and easily found by your executor. You may also wish to upload a copy of your will on this tab for convenience, but keep in mind that your executor will also need access to an original signed version.
2. Contacts: Enter information about important contacts for your executor (e.g., relatives, lawyer, accountant, etc.). In particular, be sure to populate the Heirs Tab.
3. Key Assets: List key assets (but don't bother getting too detailed since things can change over time). Note that it can be very helpful to your eventual executor if you enter the current (i.e., pre-death) adjusted cost base of capital assets.
4. Key Debts: List key debts such as a mortgage and any credit cards (but don't bother getting too detailed since things can change over time). If you like, you can estimate what the Owed at Death amount will be, but do NOT edit Owed Now (that field is for use during the actual estate administration).
5. File Attachments: You can attach files (documents, photos, whatever) to pretty much anything within EstateExec (e.g., assets, contacts, the overall estate itself, ...). Used judiciously, these attachments can be very helpful, but there's no need to upload photos of everything!
6. Choose Executor: If you haven't already chosen an executor, take a quick look at factors to consider when choosing an executor (you may also want to read more about what the executor role entails)
7. Coordinate with Executor: Once someone has agreed to be your executor, take a look at our In Advance instructions for the executor to see what else you might want to do. You may also wish to use the Estate | Share menu to give the person access to your EstateExec estate now, or you may wish to arrange for the person to get a copy of your login information in the case of your death.
8. And Then: That's pretty much it. EstateExec exists to make your estate settlement easier, and that doesn't mean we want you to have to do a lot of work in advance, either. When the time comes, your executor will be able to use EstateExec to follow step-by-step instructions to manage and settle your estate.

If you are serving as the executor for someone who has passed away, or are in the processing of becoming such an executor, we recommend...

1. Your Role: Start by learning about the executor role (duties, effort involved, etc.);  you may also want to learn more about the estate settlement process in general.
2. Decedent Info: Fill out some basic information about the departed estate owner (e.g., date of death, legal address, etc.)
3. Save All: Click the Save All button in the top right to save your work. If you have Autosave turned on, it will periodically save your work even if you don't explicitly do so. The Save All button is only active if you have unsaved changes. See Save or Cancel Edits for more information.
4. Tasks: The Tasks list will walk you through the steps you need to settle the estate. Click on each task in turn, decide whether it is applicable for the estate, and if so begin working on the task. Some tasks will be relatively easy and quick, while others may take months. You do not need to finish one task to start the next, but if you do at least read them in order you will find things relatively straightforward.
5. And Then: While we could list further things to do, that's really the purpose of the Tasks list... just start going through them!  If you really want other things to do, try listing a few assets, and skimming through more of the EstateExec Reference manual to learn more of its capabilities (including bank transaction download, accounting reports, and more). The Using Tables topic is especially helpful, as EstateExec tables can do quite a bit you might not realize otherwise.

If you will be the executor for someone who is still living, we recommend...

1. Your Role: Start by learning about the executor role, and key steps you can take in advance to make the eventual estate settlement easier.
2. Decedent Info: Fill out some basic information about the estate owner (e.g., birth date, legal address, etc.), and attach any information you may have about funeral wishes or prepaid funeral plans.
3. Contacts: Enter information about important contacts for the estate (asset locations, estate owner's accountant, etc.). Be sure to populate the Heirs Tab as well.
4. Key Assets: List key assets (but don't bother getting too detailed since things can change over time). Asking the estate owner about current (i.e., pre-death) adjusted cost base of capital assets can prove very helpful when the time comes to settle the estate, since this is not always easy to find, and is required for the CRA's deemed disposition calculations.
5. Key Debts: List key debts such as a mortgage and any credit cards (but don't bother getting too detailed since things can change over time). If you like, you can estimate what the Owed at Death amount will be, but do NOT edit Owed Now (that field is for use during the actual estate administration).
6. File Attachments: You can attach files (documents, photos, whatever) to pretty much anything within EstateExec (e.g., assets, contacts, the overall estate itself, ...). Used judiciously, these attachments can be very helpful, but there's no need to upload photos of everything!
7. Tasks: The Tasks list will walk you through the steps you need to settle the estate. You might want to take a look at a few tasks just to get a feel for things... you'll find that some EstateExec tasks describe fairly general yet important steps, while others include links to required forms, perform financial calculations, provide optional discounts on related third-party services, and give additional detailed assistance. When the time comes, just work your way through the list.
8. And Then: That's pretty much it. EstateExec exists to make your estate settlement easier, and that doesn't mean we want you to have to do a lot of work in advance, either. When the time comes, your executor will be able to use EstateExec to follow step-by-step instructions to manage and settle your estate.

If you are a lawyer, accountant, fiduciary, or other professional familiar with the estate settlement process (for trusts, see instead the Trust Administrator section below), we recommend...

1. Decedent Info: Optionally start by filling out some basic information concerning the departed estate owner (e.g., date of death, legal address, etc.). If the estate owner is still living, skip the rest of this section and instead see the Estate Owner section above.
2. Save All: Click the Save All button in the top right to save your work. If you have Autosave turned on, it will periodically save your work even if you don't explicitly do so. The Save All button is only active if you have unsaved changes. See Save or Cancel Edits for more information.
3. List Assets: You can list assets on the Assets Tab (see Enter Asset for details, and note that you can import directly from a spreadsheet if you happen to have one).
4. File Attachments: You can attach files (documents, photos, whatever) to pretty much anything within EstateExec (e.g., assets, contacts, transactions, ...).
5. List Beneficiaries: List the beneficiaries of the estate on the Heirs Tab (see Define Heirs for details).
   To keep things simple, EstateExec uses a core set of terms to cover generally equivalent items (e.g. using "heir" to include "devisee" and "beneficiary", or "executor" to include "personal representative" and "trustee"), and will normally mention when there are important differences.
6. Track Transactions: As the estate generates income, incurs expenses, or you make asset changes, record these on the Cashflow Tab (see Manage Estate Transactions). If the executor incurs out-of-pocket expenses for which he or she expects eventual reimbursement, you can track these on the Executor Expenses Tab.
7. Generate Financial Reports: You can use the View | Reports to generate desired reports such as Inventory as of a given time, or Accounting for a given time period (see Print_Reports).
8. Tasks: As a professional, you may be most interested in the accounting aspects of EstateExec, but the Task List may be useful if you are dealing with an out-of-province estate, if you want quick access to the latest statutes concerning family entitlements, executor fees (including automated calculation), etc., or if you intend to assign certain tasks to your client. Consequently, you may want to take a quick scan through the tasks, and note that the View | List menu may make it easier to quickly navigate through tasks of interest.
9. Advanced Features: You may also be interested in learning more about advanced EstateExec features, such as Bank Transaction Download and Using EstatExec Tables. You can learn about these and more within the EstateExec Reference Manual.
10. Professional Perks: Note that as a professional, you qualify for volume discounts, and an estates dashboard which lets you see all your estates at a glance, and provides some additional controls. Contact Support@EstateExec.com for access.

If you are using EstateExec to administer a trust...

1. Set Trustee Role: If you did not already set your role to "Managing a Trust" during the Quick Start Wizard, let EstateExec know that this is a trust by clicking the trust checkbox at the bottom of the Overview Tab.
2. List Assets: Start by listing trust assets on the Assets Tab (see Enter Asset for details).
3. File Attachments: You can attach files (documents, photos, whatever) to pretty much anything within EstateExec (e.g., assets, contacts, transactions, ...). Used judiciously, these attachments can be very helpful, but there's no need to upload photos of everything!
4. List Beneficiaries: List the beneficiaries of the trust on the Heirs Tab (see Define Heirs for details).
   To keep things simple, EstateExec uses a core set of terms to cover generally equivalent items (e.g. using "heir" to include "devisee" and "beneficiary", or "executor" to include "personal representative" and "trustee"), and will normally mention when there are important differences.
5. Track Transactions: As the trust generates income, incurs expenses, or you make asset changes, record these on the Cashflow Tab (see Manage Estate Transactions).
6. Tasks: You may want to look at the Tasks Tab. Tasks are generally estate-centric, but there are some that are specific to trusts, and some that apply to both estates and trusts.
7. Generate Accounting Reports: You can use the View | Reports to generate desired reports such as Inventory as of a given time, or Accounting for a given time period (see Print_Reports).