Georgia Executor Checklist: First 30 Days Week by Week

Home/Executor checklist

By John Young, owner of Family Estate Solutions of Georgia, LLC. Published September 3, 2026. Last updated October 12, 2026. Educational only, not legal advice.

In the first 30 days as a Georgia executor, protect the house and the paperwork first, then open the court case. Being named in a will does not give you power to sell or distribute anything until the probate court appoints you and issues letters, but you can and should lock the house, call the insurer, keep the utilities on, and gather documents right away.

The month at a glance

Week 1: Secure the house, call the insurer, keep utilities on, find the original will, start a photo inventory.
Week 2: Read the will, confirm the county, hire a Georgia probate attorney, list known debts.
Week 3: Decide the house plan and the contents plan, then hold family removal day.
Week 4: File the petition, track deadlines, and send heirs a written update.
After you qualify: Estate tax ID and bank account, notice to creditors within 60 days, no required debt payments for six months, inventory within six months unless relieved.

Not legal advice. Use this as an organizer. Contested estates, businesses, out-of-state property, and Medicaid recovery issues need counsel early. For forms and statewide education, start at gaprobate.gov.

Week 1: Secure, notify, gather

People and safety

Confirm who has keys. Change locks if access is unclear or disputed.
Walk the property. Check for water leaks, open windows, pets, medications, firearms, and cash.
Photograph every room and any valuables for the inventory and insurance.
Notify close family and any co-executor named in the will.

Documents to locate

The original will and any codicils. Do not mark them up or remove staples. The probate court generally needs the original.
Death certificates. Order several, because banks, insurers, and title companies often want certified copies.
Deed, mortgage statements, homeowner insurance, property tax bills, and HOA contacts.
Bank, brokerage, retirement, and life insurance statements.
Vehicle titles, safe deposit box information, and a list of digital accounts if one exists.

House logistics

Forward or hold the mail. Stop newspapers and deliveries.
Keep utilities on in a responsible party's name so service continues.
Call the homeowner insurance carrier this week (see the next section).
Arrange lawn care, and plan for freeze protection in winter if the home will sit empty.

Vacant home insurance: treat it as urgent

A house that was lived in last month can become a vacant risk this month. Many policies change what they cover when a home is unoccupied, and some limit theft or water damage claims after a vacancy period. This Guide does not publish day counts because they vary by policy. Call the carrier the same week and follow the written answer from your agent.

Tell the carrier the named insured has died and who is coordinating the property.
Ask whether a vacancy endorsement, an inspection, or a change to the named insured is required.
Ask what the carrier expects for heat, cooling, and water so pipes and sump pumps are protected.
Save every email and policy change for the estate accounting.

Week 2: Map the legal path

Read the will carefully. Note the nominated executor, any language about bond, and any specific gifts.
Confirm the county where the person was domiciled at death. That usually decides which probate court you use. County pages: Gwinnett, Hall, Forsyth, and Jackson.
Skim the Georgia probate overview so common form, solemn form, and letters are familiar before you meet counsel.
Schedule a consult with a Georgia probate attorney unless the estate is truly small and simple.
List known debts: credit cards, medical bills, mortgages, and loans. Do not start paying them on your own before you get advice.
If there is no will, read inherited a house in Georgia with no will. Who serves and whether bond is required work differently.

Bond in plain terms

An executor named in a will is generally not required to post bond by default, although the court can order bond later if someone shows the estate is being mismanaged (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-53). An administrator of an estate without a will generally must post bond unless all the heirs consent to waive it (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50). Ask your attorney which applies before you file.

If you live out of state

You can serve. Georgia lets any competent adult serve as personal representative regardless of residency (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-1). Local help still matters.

Name a trusted local key holder and write down who may enter the house.
Start a shared photo inventory folder the whole family can see.
Decide who talks to the clerk about logistics (hours, copies, payment) and who talks to the attorney about strategy.
Plan at least one trip for the house, the original will, and family removal day.
Read the full guide for out-of-state executors of a Georgia estate for bond, notary, trip planning, and handling the contents from afar.

Week 3: Decide the house plan

By now you should know whether someone will move in, whether the house will be sold, or whether it will sit for a while. Use the inherited house decision guide to weigh the options.

If the contents will be sold: book a free consultation call with a contents company now, followed by a walk-through of the house, while emotions are calmer than in week one.
If family will keep heirlooms: label and remove them before any public sale so nothing is sold by mistake.
If the house will be listed: talk with a real estate licensee once authority and timing are realistic. Empty or staged rooms usually photograph and sell better. See empty an inherited house before you list it for the full emptying sequence.
Remember the split explained in probate vs estate sale: court authority is not the same as emptying drawers.

Family removal day checklist

Put family removal day on the calendar before any public sale or large removal.

Labels on keep items (heir's name, room, and date).
A shared photo log before anything leaves the house.
Disputed items locked away or set aside, never on the sale floor.
Medications, firearms, documents, and keys removed according to counsel and safety rules.
One person records what left and with whom.

Week 4: File, track, communicate

File, or have your attorney file, the petition that fits your situation. Bring the original will when the court requires it. Standard forms and education are at gaprobate.gov.
Put every date the clerk or attorney gives you on one calendar. Missed notices create expensive do-overs.
Keep one shared folder: death certificates, a scan of the will (the original stays safe), insurance, a utility log, and expense receipts.
Send heirs a short written update: what is secured, what is filed, and what is still undecided. Silence breeds conflict.
If a contents sale is booked, confirm access dates, what family is removing first, and how proceeds will be reported.

Photo inventory method

A photo inventory is a dated set of room-by-room pictures, plus close-ups of valuables, stored in a shared folder so every heir can see what was in the house before anything moves. It is not the court inventory, but it makes the court inventory much easier and reduces "who took what" fights. See Georgia probate inventory: how to catalog personal property.

Shoot wide shots of every room, closet, garage, attic, and shed.
Shoot close-ups of jewelry, firearms, art, collectibles, and titled items.
Name files with the room and date. Do not edit the originals.
Share the folder with co-executors and, when appropriate, your attorney.
Update it after family removal day and again after any sale.

Who owns each lane in month one

House security and insurance: a named local contact, plus the person calling the carrier.
Court and counsel: the nominated executor (or petitioning administrator) and the Georgia attorney.
Contents plan: the family removal day lead, then a contents company if a public sale or a structured removal is needed.
The real estate (only if selling): a real estate licensee, once authority and timing are realistic. Not the contents company.

What you usually should not do in the first month

Hand out cash or cars to heirs "because everyone agreed" before debts and authority are clear.
Throw away paperwork, checkbooks, or unlabeled boxes that might hold titles or cash.
Ignore the vacant home insurance call.
List the house publicly before you know who can sign at closing.
Open the house to the public for a sale while heirs still dispute who owns what.

After you qualify: the next deadlines

Once the court appoints you, you qualify and receive letters, and Georgia law starts several clocks. Your attorney will confirm how each applies to your estate.

Estate tax ID and bank account. The estate usually needs its own federal Employer Identification Number from the IRS and its own bank account. Pay estate bills from that account, not a personal one.
Notice to creditors within 60 days. The personal representative publishes a notice to creditors once a week for four weeks in the official newspaper of the county where they qualified (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41).
Six months before required debt payments. A personal representative is generally not required to pay estate debts until six months after qualification (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-42). That is one more reason not to distribute early.
Inventory within six months. Unless the will or the heirs relieve it, file an inventory with the probate court and mail copies to the beneficiaries or heirs within six months after qualification. The court can extend the time for good cause (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30).
Year's support. A surviving spouse or minor children may petition for year's support within 24 months of the death (O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5). Ask your attorney before selling the house if this could apply.
Receipts. Keep lawn, locksmith, utility, insurance, travel, and repair receipts for the estate accounting.

When contents help is the next step

If week 3 leaves you looking at a packed house and garage, a local estate sale company can handle the sorting, staging, and sale while you stay on track with probate. Family Estate Solutions of Georgia, LLC (based in Buford) handles household contents only. It does not sell houses, file probate, or give legal advice. It starts with a free 20-minute consultation call, then a complimentary walk-through. Staging usually takes 3 to 5 days, and the company pays out within 7 business days, sometimes as soon as 72 hours, with a settlement report. If anything is left after the sale, Family Estate Solutions of Georgia can also help with removal of items that don't sell. It serves Braselton, Flowery Branch, Buford, Lake Lanier, Johns Creek, Roswell, Alpharetta and surrounding areas, and most of Georgia north of Atlanta. Call (706) 471-1740 or use the contact form.

Common questions

What should a Georgia executor do in the first week?

Secure the keys and the house, photograph every room, find the original will, order death certificates, call the insurer about vacancy, and keep the utilities on. Do not hand out cash, cars, or furniture yet.

Does being named executor in a will let me sell assets right away?

No. The probate court must appoint you and issue letters first. You can usually protect property before then, but you generally cannot sell, transfer title, or give away estate items on the strength of the will alone.

Can I throw things away before probate?

Spoiled food and clear safety hazards often need quick action. Do not throw away paperwork, titles, checkbooks, or anything another heir has claimed. When in doubt, photograph it, set it aside, and ask your attorney.

When should I call an estate sale company?

After the house is secure, family keepsakes are labeled, and you know whether the house will be sold, emptied, or lived in. Week 3 is a common time. Call sooner if the house is unsafe or you live out of state and need someone local to walk it.

Do I have to post bond as a Georgia executor?

An executor named in a will is generally not required to post bond by default, though the court can order it later for cause. An administrator of an estate without a will generally must post bond unless all heirs consent to waive it. Confirm with a Georgia attorney.

What about vacant home insurance after a death in Georgia?

Call the carrier the same week. Ask what changes when a home is unoccupied or when the named insured has died, and get the answer in writing. Coverage terms vary by policy, so rely on your agent, not a number from a website.

Can I be an executor in Georgia if I live in another state?

Yes. Georgia allows any competent adult to serve regardless of residency. Plan for local help with the house and at least one trip. See the out-of-state executor guide.

Official sources

Georgia probate forms and education: gaprobate.gov
Who may serve: O.C.G.A. § 53-6-1
Bond: O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50 and § 53-6-53
Inventory: O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30
Notice to creditors: O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41
Timing of debt payments: O.C.G.A. § 53-7-42
Year's support: O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5

For educational purposes only. This is not legal advice. This checklist is published by Family Estate Solutions of Georgia, LLC. Confirm procedures with the probate court and your attorney.

Georgia executor checklist