To settle an estate a Personal Representative has several major duties to perform.  He/she will be required to locate and gather all of the assets of the estate, know the identity & location of all close family members & beneficiaries, and know where legal forms &  papers are located.  While the Personal Representative may have some idea ofthe general nature of the estate through the relationship with them, the best way to ensure that nothing is overlooked is to prepare a Letter of Instruction.  The letter should be kept in an accessible location so it can be updated on a regular basis, and its exisitence & location should be known to the Personal Representatives and perhaps to other close family members. 

The Letter of Instruction should include:

Names, Addresses & Phone Numbers

1.  Family

2.  Friends

3.  Attorney

4.  Accountant

5.  Bank

6. Clergyman

7.  Doctor

8.  Employer / Business Associate(s)

9.  Funeral Director

10. Insurance Agent

11. Stockbroker 

Location

12. Will, Trusts, POA (original/copies)

13. Birth, Adoption, Baptismal Certificates

14. Marriage Certificate(s), Property Agreement

15. Divorce Decree / Separation Agreement

16. Saftey Deposit Box, Key & Contents

17. Bank Savings, Checking & Certificates of Deposit

18. Brokerage Statements

19. Mutual Funds Statements

20. Income & Gift Tax Statements

21. Beneficiary, POD & TOD Designations

22. Househould Inventory

23. Military Service Records

24. Social Security Numbers & Cards

25. Employment Records

26. Diplomas, Educational Records

27. Medical & Health Records

28. Cemetary Site Deed

29. Passport

30. Citizenship Papers 

Detailed Inventory of Assets & Liabilities

31. Bank Names, Addresses, Account Numbers

32. Savings Bond Denominations, Numbers, Location

33. Stock Names, Location of Certificates, Number of Shares, Purchase Prices

34. Corporate or Government Bonds, Location, Purchase Prices

35. Mutual Fund Names, Number of Shares, Purchase Prices

36. Real Estate, Descriptions, Dates of Purchase, Purchase Prices, Location of Deeds (including adjustments for improvements & depreciation)

37. Pension / Profit Sharing / 401K Account Information

38. Individual Retirement Account Information

39. Insurance Companies, Policy Numbers, Location of Policies, Face Value of Policies

40. Motor Vehicle Description, Boats, etc., & Location of Titles

41. Valuable Personal Property (Jewelry, Art, Collections, etc.), Description Location, Value & Appraisal

42. Mortgage Amount, Name & Address of Holder

43. Other Loans: Amounts, Name & Address of Creditors

44. Credit Card Companies, Account Numbers

45. Employer Sponsored Benefits & Insurance

46. Funeral Arrangements & Burial Instruction

47. Information of Obituary, Newspapers & Addresses

48. If you are a Trust Beneficiary, Name & Address of Trustee

49. Computer File Passwords, etc.

50. Certificates of Membership(s) & Acheivement(s)