Last verified 2026-09-10; facts checked against the primary sources below
Free after-death resources for families and care teams
Last verified: September 10, 2026
Start with the next task: Share a printable checklist for the first days, a county guide for court questions, or an institution reference for financial paperwork. These Estate Desk resources are free to read without an account or email signup.
A small packet to share with a family
| The family needs help with | Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| What to do first | California executor checklist | A practical sequence for the first month, with links to deeper instructions |
| A paper checklist | Download the first-30-days PDF | A printable starting point for an aftercare folder |
| Organizing records | Download the two-page document checklist | Space to track documents gathered, requested, and still needed |
| Obtaining a death certificate | California death-certificate guide | County versus state ordering, copy types, fees, and a recipient log |
| Contacting financial providers | Compare 20 institutions and benefit providers | Official starting points and distinctions between account and claim processes |
| Finding the local court | Choose a California county | A guide for each of California's 58 counties |
For local packets, choose the relevant county rather than asking a family to search the full library. Examples: Alameda, Orange, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Luis Obispo. County court venue and the county that holds a death record may differ.
Suggested text for your resource page
You can use or adapt this short description:
The Estate Desk's free California executor resources help families organize the paperwork after a death. Start with a printable checklist, then find county court information and official account-notification instructions. No signup is required.
Suggested link text: Free California after-death paperwork resources
Link: https://theestatedesk.com/resources/family-resource-kit/
For a narrower article, link directly to the matching guide in the table. The live pages show their own source-review dates; recheck those pages when updating a printed resource list.
For care teams and resource editors
You may print and share the two linked Estate Desk checklists with families, keeping the source attribution and information notices intact. No partnership or endorsement is implied by linking to a resource. The guides provide general information; they do not determine a family's legal rights or replace an institution's current instructions.
Families do not need to send us their certificates, account numbers, or other private records to use this kit.