Last Writes: A Blog About Death and Grief

A practical digital asset and crypto estate guide for executors, covering inventories, password managers, cloud accounts, and inheritance protocols.

Executor compensation, fiduciary duty, and co executor communication: how state fee rules work, what liability looks like, and how to avoid common mistakes.

Executor compensation fee schedules by state vary. This 2026 guide covers statutory percentages, court approval, and how to claim what you are owed.

Learn how to communicate estate updates to beneficiaries with copy and paste email templates, a realistic update cadence, and software walkthroughs.

Filing the final Form 1040, getting an estate EIN, and setting up the estate bank account — the full financial workflow for executors.

Step by step instructions for closing bank accounts, subscriptions, and social media after someone dies. Protect the estate from fraud and unnecessary charges.

Executor keepsake decisions: how to handle memorials, heirlooms, ashes, and digital legacy as part of estate settlement, not as grief or tribute shopping.

Someone just died and you are asking what to do when someone dies. Here is your first 48 hours: the immediate tasks that matter, in plain steps.

Settling an estate takes 570 hours. Most executors try to do it alone until something goes wrong. Here is how to know when to call help in.

Nobody warned you that settling an estate is also a travel job. Here's how to do it without losing your mind or your savings.

When someone dies, you become legally responsible for their assets before you have the authority to act on them.

Being named executor can feel like a big job — and it is. This guide breaks down what executors actually do, how probate works, what expenses they handle, and how to manage the role without...

Executors are legally entitled to compensation in nearly every state. Here's what you can claim, how fees are calculated, and what most people don't know about getting paid for the hardest job you...

Every drawer is a decision. Every closet is a memory. A practical guide to sorting, selling, donating, and surviving the emotional weight of emptying a parent's home.

Someone you love just died. And now you've inherited 570 hours of admin across 20+ institutions that don't talk to each other. Here's what to do first, what can wait, and how to survive it.

When someone dies in Texas, families face an overwhelming wave of financial and administrative tasks, from filing for probate to closing accounts across 20+ institutions. Good Grief walks you...

When someone dies, their identity becomes a target. Scammers mine obituaries, open credit cards, and file tax returns in the deceased's name. Here's what to lock down — and when.

Everyone talks about the funeral. Nobody talks about the locksmith, the notary, or what to do with three cats and a parrot. Here's the unsexy survival guide for the hardest month of your life.

The average American home has over 300,000 items. When someone passes, every single one needs a decision. Here's how to break the cleanout into stages so it doesn't break you.

Most people have never heard the word "probate" until they're in the middle of it. Here are the best tools to help executors navigate the legal maze, and know when to call a lawyer.

Not all end-of-life planning tools are built for the same person. We break down the best options — from free to $499 — so you can pick the right one for where you are right now.

The first month after a death in Texas is confusing and overwhelming. This guide walks you through what actually matters in the first 30 days—so you can avoid costly mistakes and buy time.

When someone dies, their Social Security number is retired—but the estate still needs a tax ID to function. This guide explains what an estate EIN is, when it’s required, how to apply, and how...

Death certificates and letters testamentary serve very different roles after someone dies. This guide explains what each document does, when you need them, and why both are essential for managing...

Death certificates are the key document that unlocks everything after someone dies—from probate and bank accounts to insurance claims and title transfers. This guide explains what they are, how to...

Executors often miss valuable tax deductions after death. This checklist explains which expenses are deductible, where to claim them, and how Forms 1040 and 706 differ—so you don’t leave money on...

One of the first and biggest executor duties is asset collection. This step-by-step guide walks through documents, financial accounts, property, taxes, and personal items—so nothing gets missed...

Executor and administrator roles sound similar, but they’re not the same. This guide explains who appoints each role, how probate works with or without a will, and what responsibilities come with...

After someone dies, grief isn’t just emotional—it’s physical. Closets, garages, and storage units overflow with memories and decisions. This guide unpacks the real cost of dealing with “stuff,”...

The funeral isn’t the finish line. This practical checklist covers nine post-death admin tasks— from ordering enough death certificates to handling taxes, DMV transfers, insurance, credit bureaus,...