The first-week executor checklist

The first week after a death is rarely about big decisions.

It is often about finding basics.

Who needs to be told? Where is the will? How many death certificates are needed? Who has the insurance information? Which bills are due soon? Who knows where the documents are? What should wait until a lawyer or accountant can review it?

For many executors, the hardest part is not one single task. It is the feeling of being handed a mountain of responsibility with no clear place to start.

This checklist is designed to make the first week feel more manageable.

It groups early executor tasks into what may matter first, what can usually wait, and what is worth confirming with a qualified professional. Every estate is different, and local rules may vary. This is a planning guide, not legal, tax, or financial advice.

Executors deserve a map — not a pile of unanswered questions.

Before you begin: take a breath

If you are acting as an executor, you may feel pressure to move quickly.

Some tasks do need timely attention. But not everything needs to happen immediately.

In the first week, your role is often to:

• Find the key documents
• Confirm who has authority to act
• Notify the right people
• Arrange practical next steps
• Protect important information
• Avoid making major decisions too quickly
• Ask for professional guidance where needed

You do not need to know everything on the first day.

You need a starting point.

1. Confirm immediate care and safety needs

Before paperwork, check whether anyone or anything needs immediate care.

This may include:

• A surviving spouse or partner
• Children or dependents
• Elders in the household
• Pets
• A person receiving care from the deceased
• A home that needs to be secured
• Vehicles, keys, or access cards
• Medication, mobility, or medical equipment in the home
• Food, utilities, heating, or household safety issues

Some estates involve people who depend on the person who died for daily support. Those needs may come before administrative tasks.

A simple first question can help:

Is anyone relying on this person today who needs care, access, transportation, food, medication, or support?

If the answer is yes, start there.

2. Notify close family and trusted people

The first notifications are usually personal, not administrative.

You may need to contact:

• Immediate family
• A spouse or partner
• Children or dependents
• The named executor or alternate executor
• Close friends or trusted people
• Caregivers or support workers
• A faith, cultural, or ceremony contact
• Anyone who may need to help with dependents, Elders, or pets

Try to avoid broad announcements until immediate family and key people have been contacted.

It can help to keep a simple notification list:

• Who has been told
• Who still needs to be told
• Who should not be contacted yet
• Who can help notify others
• Any sensitive family dynamics to handle carefully

This is not about making everything formal. It is about reducing confusion and duplicate calls during an emotional time.

3. Locate the will and key documents

One of the most important early steps is finding the most recent will and related documents.

Documents to look for may include:

• Will
• Any codicils or amendments
• Power of attorney documents
• Health care directive, representation agreement, or personal directive
• Funeral, burial, cremation, ceremony, or memorial wishes
• Insurance policies
• Tax records
• Property documents
• Mortgage or loan documents
• Marriage, divorce, separation, adoption, or guardianship documents
• Trust documents
• Business ownership documents
• Vehicle ownership papers

If you know a lawyer, notary, or professional helped prepare documents, contact them before assuming the papers at home are the most current version.

A planning note like this can save hours:

“The original will is in the home filing cabinet, top drawer, folder labelled Estate Planning. A copy is with Priya Nair at Nair Family Law.”

If you cannot find the documents, do not panic. Make a list of likely locations and people who may know.

4. Confirm whether you are the person with authority to act

Being named in a conversation is not the same as having legal authority.

Before taking major steps, confirm whether you are actually the executor, estate trustee, liquidator, personal representative, or other authorized person under the relevant documents and local rules.

This is worth confirming with a lawyer or qualified professional, especially if:

• There is no will
• There may be more than one will
• The will is old
• Family members disagree
• The named executor cannot act
• The estate includes property in more than one province or country
• There is a business, trust, or complex asset
• There are concerns about capacity, undue influence, or conflict

In the first week, it is okay to gather information. But be careful about distributing property, closing accounts, or making major commitments before authority is clear.

5. Request death certificates or proof of death documents

Many institutions may require official proof of death before they release information or process changes.

These may be needed for:

• Banks
• Insurance companies
• Pension providers
• Government benefits
• Employers
• Investment accounts
• Creditors
• Property records
• Vehicle transfers
• Tax filings
• Funeral or ceremony arrangements

The number of copies needed can vary. A funeral home, lawyer, or local authority may be able to explain the process in your area.

Keep a record of:

• How many copies were ordered
• Where they were sent
• Which organizations still require one
• Whether an original, certified copy, or scanned copy is required

Do not send originals away unless you know they will be returned or that sending an original is required.

6. Contact the funeral home, ceremony contact, or cultural support person

If arrangements have not already been made, the family may need to contact a funeral home, cremation provider, cemetery, ceremony leader, faith leader, cultural contact, or community support person.

Look for any documented wishes, such as:

• Burial, cremation, or other preferences
• Funeral, memorial, or celebration of life wishes
• Faith, cultural, spiritual, or ceremonial considerations
• Organ donation wishes, where applicable
• Music, readings, prayers, or speakers
• Obituary notes
• People who should be included
• Any prepaid arrangements

If wishes are unclear, try to avoid rushing decisions that do not need to be rushed. When possible, involve the right family or cultural voices before making choices with emotional significance.

7. Secure the home, documents, and important property

The executor may need to make sure important property and records are protected.

This can include:

• Locking the home
• Checking doors, windows, keys, garage access, and alarm systems
• Securing vehicles
• Protecting important documents
• Safeguarding wallets, IDs, cards, cheque books, and devices
• Making sure mail does not pile up
• Checking for urgent bills or notices
• Making sure pets or dependents are cared for
• Preventing removal of property until authority is clear

This does not mean treating the home like a crime scene. It means avoiding confusion, loss, or conflict later.

If multiple family members have keys or access, consider keeping a simple log of who enters the home and why. This can reduce suspicion and misunderstandings.

8. Create a first-week contact list

A clean contact list can save the executor from repeating the same search again and again.

Start with:

• Lawyer or notary
• Accountant or tax preparer
• Financial planner or advisor
• Insurance provider
• Bank or credit union
• Investment provider
• Pension provider
• Employer or former employer
• Government benefit contacts
• Mortgage lender
• Utility providers
• Landlord, strata, condo board, or property manager if applicable
• Business partners or bookkeeper if applicable

For each contact, record:

• Organization
• Contact person
• Phone/email
• What they handle
• Date contacted
• What they requested
• Follow-up needed

You do not need to call everyone on day one. The goal is to build the map.

9. Make a first account list

Executors often need to understand which accounts exist before they can know what to do next.

Start with broad categories:

• Chequing and savings accounts
• Credit cards
• Mortgage or line of credit
• Loans
• RRSP, RRIF, TFSA, pension, or investment accounts
• Life insurance
• Workplace benefits
• Utilities
• Phone and internet
• Email and cloud storage
• Subscriptions
• Business accounts
• Digital wallets or crypto accounts, if applicable
• Password manager instructions

Do not expose sensitive account details unnecessarily.

A safe first account list might say:

“Chequing account at major Canadian bank, ending in 4821. Full access instructions are in secure storage.”

That gives the executor a starting point without spreading private information.

10. Identify urgent bills and automatic payments

Some bills may need attention in the first week or two.

Look for:

• Mortgage or rent
• Utilities
• Insurance premiums
• Phone and internet
• Vehicle payments
• Loan payments
• Credit card payments
• Property taxes
• Condo or strata fees
• Care costs
• Storage units
• Subscriptions that may renew soon

Do not assume every account should be closed immediately. Some services may need to stay active for a period of time. For example, keeping phone, email, utilities, or home insurance active may be important while the estate is being organized.

If unsure, ask a professional before cancelling major services.

11. Notify insurance and benefits providers

Insurance and benefits can be time-sensitive.

You may need to locate and contact:

• Life insurance provider
• Employer benefits administrator
• Pension provider
• Group insurance provider
• Health benefits provider
• Mortgage insurance provider
• Vehicle or home insurer

Questions to ask may include:

• What proof of death is required?
• Who is the named beneficiary, if they can disclose it?
• What forms are required?
• Are there deadlines?
• Is coverage still active?
• Are premiums still being withdrawn?
• Does home or vehicle insurance need to be updated?

For home and vehicle insurance, do not let coverage lapse without understanding the consequences. Property still needs protection while the estate is being handled.

12. Keep notes from the beginning

Good notes protect everyone.

Create a simple executor log with:

• Date
• Person or organization contacted
• What was discussed
• Documents requested
• Forms submitted
• Deadlines
• Decisions made
• Follow-up tasks
• Questions for professionals

This does not need to be fancy. A notebook, spreadsheet, or planning tool can work.

The purpose is to create a record that helps you remember what happened and explain steps later if needed.

13. What can usually wait

Some tasks may feel urgent but can often wait until you have more information or professional guidance.

These may include:

• Distributing personal property
• Selling assets
• Closing major accounts
• Cancelling important services
• Paying non-urgent debts
• Making promises to beneficiaries
• Making tax decisions
• Transferring vehicles or property
• Dividing sentimental items
• Clearing out the home too quickly

There may be exceptions. But in general, the first week is about stabilizing, locating, notifying, and documenting — not rushing final decisions.

When people are grieving, a slower, clearer process can prevent avoidable conflict.

14. What is worth confirming with a lawyer or accountant

Some questions should not be guessed at.

Consider getting professional guidance on:

• Whether probate or a similar process is required
• Whether the will is valid and current
• Who has authority to act
• What to do if there is no will
• How to handle debts
• Which assets pass through the estate
• Which assets may pass outside the estate
• Tax filing requirements
• Capital gains or other tax exposure
• Treatment of registered accounts
• Real estate ownership
• Business interests
• Trusts
• Cross-border property or beneficiaries
• Minor beneficiaries or dependents
• Indigenous-specific considerations, including Section 87 where relevant
• Family disputes or unclear instructions

A professional can help confirm what applies to the specific estate.

Your job in the first week is not to become an expert. It is to gather the right information and ask better questions.

15. A calm first-week checklist

Here is a simple way to stage the first week.

First 24–48 hours

• Confirm immediate care needs for dependents, Elders, pets, or household responsibilities
• Notify close family and key trusted people
• Contact the funeral home, ceremony contact, faith leader, or cultural support person if needed
• Locate the will and key documents
• Secure the home, vehicles, devices, and important papers
• Start a simple executor notes log
• Identify urgent bills or household needs

Days 3–5

• Confirm who has authority to act
• Request death certificates or proof of death documents
• Build a contact list
• Build an account list
• Contact lawyer or notary, if applicable
• Contact accountant or tax preparer, if applicable
• Locate insurance and benefits information
• Review document locations and secure storage instructions

Days 6–7

• Contact insurance and pension providers where appropriate
• Review urgent payments and automatic withdrawals
• Identify assets and debts that need attention
• Make a list of questions worth confirming
• Avoid distributing property too quickly
• Prepare for the next stage of estate administration

This is not a strict schedule. Some tasks may happen sooner, later, or not at all depending on the estate.

The point is to create a path.

16. How families can prepare before this moment

The best executor checklist is the one prepared before it is needed.

Families can help by organizing:

• Executor and alternate executor information
• Emergency contacts
• Professional contacts
• Document locations
• Account summaries
• Asset and liability inventory
• Beneficiary information
• Funeral, ceremony, or cultural wishes
• Secure storage instructions
• Dependent or pet care instructions
• Questions worth confirming
• A preparedness pack or executor handoff summary

Even partial information can help.

An executor does not need perfection. They need fewer unknowns.

How RiGEL helps

RiGEL Personal helps households prepare a clearer handoff for trusted people.

Families can use RiGEL to:

• Build an Emergency Snapshot
• Organize contacts and document locations
• Track assets, liabilities, accounts, and policies
• Map beneficiaries and items worth confirming
• Prepare secure storage instructions
• Create family letters and wishes
• Generate a Preparedness Pack
• Use Executor Mode to create a staged guide for what may need attention first

RiGEL does not replace legal, tax, or financial professionals.

It helps families reduce searching, organize questions, and give executors a clearer place to begin.

Final thought

The first week after a death does not need to be perfectly managed.

It needs to be gently organized.

A good executor does not need to know every answer immediately. They need to know where to look, who to call, what to protect, and what not to rush.

That is the difference between a mountain and a map.