California Probate Property Document Checklist

Use a secure follow-up process

Identity, authority, notice at collection, retention, access, and secure storage should be established before documents are requested or accepted. The public checker accepts category-level answers, not source-document contents.

Organize identity, authority, asset, and property evidence separately

Keep death and identity records, will or trust materials, court authority, deed and title, asset and creditor inventory, property operations, and transaction records in separate dated groups. This reduces unnecessary disclosure and makes conflicts easier to identify.

Start with ownership before value or sale strategy

The last deed, legal description, trust or beneficiary documents, date of death, court status, and actual decision-maker should be identified before a sale or transfer path is compared.

California Courts: inventory and estimate property value

Ordered next steps

Create a private index of document categories and dates without copying account numbers, Social Security numbers, private allegations, or privileged communications.
Obtain the current deed and legal description, death certificate, will or trust and amendments, and any beneficiary or survivorship records.
If a court case exists, obtain the filed petition, Order for Probate, current Letters, IAEA status, bond information, notices, and later orders.
Inventory property and debt categories, date-of-death value evidence, mortgage or reverse mortgage, taxes, HOA, insurance, solar/PACE, liens, creditors, occupancy, and personal property.
Verify lawful access, property security, utilities, hazards, maintenance authority, and who may communicate with lenders, title, insurers, tenants, or vendors.
Use a verified secure exchange for any requested file and keep a dated receipt, access record, correction log, and retention decision.
Route unclear authority, title, spouse rights, conflict, tax, creditor, capacity, coercion, bankruptcy, foreclosure, or litigation questions to qualified professionals.

Private probate-property decision checklist

Checking a box changes only this page in your browser. Nothing is submitted or saved. Keep source documents in an approved secure system and use this list only to identify missing categories.

I have the certified death certificate and know the date of death.I have the last recorded deed and legal description and identified how title was held.I located the will, living trust and amendments, transfer-on-death or beneficiary documents, if any.I know whether a probate case is open and have the filed petition, Order for Probate, current Letters, IAEA status, and later orders, if applicable.I identified the current personal representative, trustee, surviving owner, successor, or other possible decision-maker and any co-signing requirement.I inventoried asset and debt categories, date-of-death value evidence, mortgages, reverse mortgage, taxes, HOA, insurance, solar/PACE, liens, and creditor issues.I documented occupants, lawful access, condition, hazards, personal property, utilities, insurance, security, and carrying costs.I identified disagreements, minors, conservatees, capacity concerns, bankruptcy, foreclosure, litigation, spouse rights, and out-of-state issues.I know which questions require probate counsel, title, tax, appraisal, insurance, property-management, or other qualified review.

Stop transaction discussion and obtain qualified review when

The deed, legal description, decedent identity, trust ownership, beneficiary, or court case does not match.
No current document shows who has authority, co-representatives disagree, or authority is limited, suspended, disputed, or conditional.
There are capacity, coercion, elder-abuse, minor, conservatee, family-safety, self-dealing, or conflict concerns.
Foreclosure, reverse-mortgage deadlines, uninsured property, unsafe occupancy, bankruptcy, tax sale, active litigation, or rapid property loss is present.
Someone asks for original documents, passwords, account credentials, private uploads, or a signature before independent review.

Frequently asked questions

Should I upload probate documents here?

No. Start with category-level answers. If documents are needed, an approved secure follow-up method should be coordinated.

Official sources to review

These sources explain general rules. They do not endorse this site or replace review of your documents.