Administer an estate calmly, in order, with every list, log and letter in one place
The Executor's Kit gives executors, administrators and the families helping them a clear six-phase method, a working estate workbook and the exact words for every letter and hard conversation, from the first week to the final account.
- A 13-sheet Estate Administration Workbook: tasks by phase, asset register, debts, estate account ledger with running balance, beneficiary calculator and dashboard
- A library of 42 letters, messages and scripts for banks, creditors, professionals, family and hard moments
- Five fillable forms: first week checklist, discovery sheet, call record, decision record and final account sign-off
- Dated country notes for India, UK, US, Canada, Australia, UAE, South Africa and Singapore, plus a 12-month calendar plan
The Executor's Kit · Bodhih Pro Kits · 98 by Bodhih Training, trainers to 2,000+ companies since 2008.
What does an executor actually have to do?
An executor secures the estate, finds and values what the person owned and owed, gets legal authority, pays debts, tax and costs in the right order, keeps accounts, and distributes what is left. The Executor's Kit from Bodhih Training turns that into six phases, with a workbook, forms, letters and dated country notes for each step.
Want the full free guide first? Read What Does an Executor Do? A Step-by-Step Guide to an Estate.
You already feel the problem. Here is what it is costing you.
A pile of post and no idea where to start
Statements, bills, forms and condolence cards all land at once. Without a method, everything feels urgent. Very little of it is.
Fear of getting it wrong and paying for it personally
Executors can be held responsible for paying the wrong debt first, distributing too early or selling below value. Most never find out until it is too late to fix.
Family questions you cannot yet answer
When will the money come? Why is this taking so long? Who said you could sell the car? Silence turns patient relatives into suspicious ones.
Rules that change from one country to the next
Probate, letters of administration, succession certificates, small-estate affidavits: the names and steps differ by country and state, and most guides cover only one.
Picture the next few weeks with the kit open beside you.
Imagine a Sunday morning a few weeks from now. You make a coffee, open the Dashboard of your Estate Administration Workbook, and see the whole estate on one screen: what has been found, what is collected, which debts are confirmed, which letters are waiting for a reply. Nothing is in your head any more. It is all written down.
As you work down the overdue tasks, you notice the calm that comes from a method. When the bank asks for a document, you know which one. When a creditor writes, you open the letter library, adapt letter 23 and log it. When your brother asks what is happening, the next beneficiary update is already drafted from the same figures everyone else sees.
And when the big decisions arrive, selling the house, paying the first gifts, keeping back a retention, you take them slowly, on paper, with the decision record open and the order-of-payments card beside you. Whether you start with the first week checklist tonight or the workbook tomorrow, each step builds a record a stranger could follow.
Months from now, you send the final account. Each beneficiary signs the acknowledgement page. You close the estate account, box the records, and realise you carried something heavy carefully all the way.
19 files that do the work for you
The e-book shows you how. The tools make it happen. Here is exactly what you download.
The Executor's Kit (e-book, PDF)
The guide: methods, worked examples, scripts and exercises
Start here: the executor's road map
The whole administration as twelve steps with the file to open at each, your first hour, and a 30/60/90 day use plan.
Estate Administration Workbook
Thirteen-sheet workbook: settings, task tracker by phase, asset register, debts, estate account ledger with running balance, notifications, beneficiary register and distribution calculator, estate summary, expenses, correspondence, digital accounts and a dashboard with chart.
First week checklist
Four-page fillable checklist for the first weeks after a death: certificates, the will, securing property and the first notifications, with who and when.
Asset and debt discovery sheet
Three-page fillable discovery sheet that walks the paper trail: post, statements, devices, papers, tax records, people and official searches.
Notification and call record
Two-page fillable record: six call blocks for phone notifications, plus a page for letters and online forms. Print as many as you need.
Executor's decision record
Three-page fillable record: should I act, which route to authority, and a repeatable page for any significant decision with options, advice and reasons.
Final account summary and sign-off
Three-page fillable summary of the estate account for beneficiaries, with a pre-distribution checklist and an acknowledgement page for each residuary beneficiary.
Letter and message library
42 notification letters, requests, creditor letters, professional briefs, beneficiary messages and exact words for hard moments, ready to adapt.
Beneficiary update templates
Ready-to-send documents for beneficiaries: first letter, regular update, interim distribution letter, gift handover note and final account cover letter.
Estate account template
Ready-to-send final estate account: capital account, income account, payments, distribution account and executor's statement, with sample lines.
Executor's statement of acceptance and limits (for family)
One-page household agreement: who is acting, what the executor will and will not do, how updates work, how decisions are made and what the family can expect.
Worked example pack: the D'Souza estate
The main forms and documents filled in for one composite estate, from the first week to the final account, so you can see what good looks like.
AI prompt pack for executors
27 tool-agnostic prompts grouped by phase of the administration, each with what to paste in and what to check before you use the output.
Country notes (correct at October 2026)
Dated notes on authority documents, deadlines and tax concepts for India, UK, US, Canada, Australia, UAE, South Africa and Singapore.
Order of payments decision card
The broad order money leaves an estate, plus twelve if-this-then-that rules for the payment decisions executors face.
Executor mistakes that cost money
Twelve common executor mistakes with the early sign of each, what to do instead, and a Friday self-check.
12-month estate administration plan
67 calendar events over twelve months: weekly then fortnightly estate sessions, monthly reconciliations, beneficiary updates and sixteen milestones, each naming the file to open.
Estate task board import
40 administration tasks as a CSV ready to import into Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira, with phase, file to open, owner and a due offset from the date of death.
Chapter by chapter
Each chapter opens with a real situation, gives you a method and ends with something to do today, using the tools in your kit.
- Format
- PDF e-book + XLSX + fillable PDF + DOCX + ICS + CSV
- Files
- 19 files plus a one-click ZIP
- E-book
- 62 pages
- Works with
- Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice, Word, Google Docs, Acrobat Reader, Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Outlook, Trello, Asana, Notion
- Best for
- Executors, administrators and families helping them, in any country
- Currency
- Any: amounts carry no symbol; set your own label
What an Executor Is, and Is Not
What the role is and is not, the five duties, and how to decide whether to act, act with help or step back.
The First Weeks
Registration, certificates, finding the original will, securing the home and belongings, and the short list of people to tell first.
Getting Authority
The routes to legal authority as concepts, asset by asset, including small-estate routes, nominees and cross-border estates.
Finding and Valuing Assets and Debts
Following the paper trail to every asset and debt, and valuing each one honestly at the date of death.
Notifying and Collecting
Notifying organisations with a record of every contact, collecting into an estate account, and handling property, vehicles and digital accounts.
Paying Debts, Taxes and Expenses in the Right Order
The solvency check, the broad order of payments, tax as concepts, and creditor notices and clearances where they exist.
Keeping the Estate Accounts
One account, one line per movement, one document per line: the ledger, reconciliation and your own expenses.
Beneficiaries, Communication and Disagreements
The update rhythm, treating everyone alike, and matching your response to what sits under each kind of disagreement.
Distribution and the Final Account
Distributing in stages with a retention, the distribution calculator, the final account and written approval.
Protecting Yourself, and Looking After Yourself
The five habits that protect an executor from personal liability, when to hire help, and looking after yourself while grieving.
Not just reading. Tools you will actually open again.
The guide
- The Executor's Kit e-book: ten chapters, conclusion, dated country notes appendix and a plain-language glossary
Start here
- 00-Start-Here-Executors-Road-Map.pdf: the whole job as twelve steps with the file for each, your first hour and a 30/60/90 day plan
Spreadsheet
- Estate-Administration-Workbook.xlsx: Start here, Settings, Tasks, Assets, Debts, Ledger, Notifications, Beneficiaries, Estate Summary, Expenses, Correspondence, Digital Accounts and Dashboard with chart
Fillable PDF forms
- First-Week-Checklist.pdf
- Asset-and-Debt-Discovery-Sheet.pdf
- Notification-and-Call-Record.pdf
- Executors-Decision-Record.pdf
- Final-Account-Summary-and-Sign-Off.pdf
Word templates
- Letter-and-Message-Library.docx: 42 letters, messages and scripts
- Beneficiary-Update-Templates.docx: five ready-to-send documents
- Estate-Account-Template.docx: the formal final account
- Executors-Statement-of-Acceptance-and-Limits.docx: a one-page family agreement
- Worked-Example-Pack-The-DSouza-Estate.docx: forms filled in for one composite estate
- AI-Prompt-Pack-for-Executors.docx: 27 prompts by phase
Cheat sheets
- Country-Notes-Correct-at-October-2026.pdf
- Order-of-Payments-Decision-Card.pdf
- Executor-Mistakes-That-Cost-Money.pdf
Plans and imports
- 12-Month-Estate-Administration-Plan.ics: 67 calendar events
- Estate-Task-Board-Import.csv: 40 tasks for Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira
When you have worked through it, you will be able to…
Every outcome is practised with a worked example and a tool, not just described.
- You will be able to decide, on paper, whether to act, act with help or step back
- You will be able to work out which route to legal authority each asset needs
- You will be able to find and value assets and debts at the date of death, with evidence
- You will be able to notify every organisation and track every reply
- You will be able to pay debts, tax and costs in a sensible order after a solvency check
- You will be able to keep estate accounts a stranger could check
- You will be able to update beneficiaries on a steady rhythm and respond calmly to disagreements
- You will be able to distribute in stages and produce a clear final account
Know your starting point. Prove your progress.
People who measure before and after improve faster and can show it. AssessAll, our sister assessment platform, has AI-graded assessments that pair with this kit. Take one now, work through the kit, then re-take it.
Everyday Agreements Assessment: Reading What You Are About to Sign
Take the assessment →AssessAll assessmentAttention to Detail & Error Checking
Take the assessment →AssessAll assessmentMoney Decision Judgment
Take the assessment →JobularyTurn what you learn into a measured development plan (Jobulary)
Make it a growth plan →A taste of the Introduction
Someone you love has died, and someone else has handed you a folder. Or perhaps nobody handed you anything, and you are standing in a kitchen that still smells of their cooking, looking at a pile of unopened post and wondering where on earth to start. Breathe. You do not have to do everything this week. (If you are in the first raw days and need help with the funeral and immediate family admin, the Bodhih Grief and After-a-Death Admin Kit covers those weeks in depth; this kit covers the estate.) Most of the job of an executor is done slowly, in order, with good records. Very little of it is urgent. The urgent parts fit on one page, and you will find that page in a moment.
The honest comparison
| Free templates and typical advice | This kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | A checklist of tasks with no order or reasons | Six phases with the reason for each step and the file to open |
| Records | A blank spreadsheet | A 13-sheet workbook with formulas, sample rows, solvency check and dashboard |
| Letters | Two or three generic letters | 42 letters, messages and scripts, including hard family moments |
| Countries | One country's rules, often undated | Concepts that travel, plus dated notes for eight countries |
| Protection | Little on executor liability | Decision record, retention, second checks and a mistakes card |
| Example | Empty forms | A worked example estate from first week to final account |
Made for you if…
- Executors named in a will who have never done this before
- Administrators and legal heirs dealing with an estate without a will
- Adult children and partners doing the practical work for a parent or relative
- Co-executors who need one shared set of records across countries
- People in their 50s and beyond who want to see the job before it arrives
- Families with assets or beneficiaries in more than one country
Probably not for you if…
- Anyone looking for a will template or a legal document: this kit contains neither
- Estates that are already in a court dispute and need a lawyer now
- Professional estate administrators who already run case-management software
Built by trainers, tested in real rooms.
Bodhih Training has designed and delivered corporate programmes since 2008. Bodhih Pro Kits package what works in those workshops into a guide plus the exact tools we use, so you can apply it the same day without a facilitator in the room.
From here to using it in three steps
- STEP 1
Tap Get the kit
Name, email and country. UPI, card or netbanking in India; international cards everywhere else. No account to create.
- STEP 2
Download instantly
Your download page opens at once, with every file and a one-click ZIP. A permanent link lands in your inbox too.
- STEP 3
Open the first tool
Start with the quick-start chapter, then the main spreadsheet or planner. Most buyers use something from the kit the same day.
Start with the first week. The rest follows in order.
Open the road map, fill in one Settings sheet and let the method carry you one phase at a time. Whether you begin with the first week checklist tonight or the workbook this weekend, you will have every list, log and letter in one place.
Personal licence for the buyer's own use (and use with your own family and co-executors where the kit says so). Please don't share or resell the files. Team and company licences: solutions@bodhih.com.
The Bodhih family, when you are ready for more
The Late Starter's Retirement Plan
The money side of retirement.
The Home Ops Manual
Run the household as a system.
AssessAll
250+ AI-graded assessments to measure skills and earn verified credentials.
Jobulary
Individual development plans that start from evidence and stay yours.
Bodhih Training
Run this topic as a live workshop for your team, in person or online.
Pewple
Book a vetted coach for career, leadership or communication. Pay per session.
Bodhih.org pathways
Certification pathways in Applied AI, Workplace English and management.
What does an executor of a will do?
An executor secures the estate, finds and values everything the person owned and owed, gets legal authority where needed, pays debts, tax and costs in the right order, keeps accounts and distributes what is left according to the will or the law. The kit breaks this into six phases with a file for each step.
Is this kit legal advice?
No. It is practical education and record-keeping tools. It does not replace a lawyer, notary, accountant, tax professional or financial adviser, and nothing in it is a will or a legal document. Rules differ by country, state and personal law, so check the official source or a qualified professional before you act.
Does it work outside the UK or US?
Yes. The method teaches concepts that apply everywhere, and the workbook works in any currency. Country-specific points are kept in dated notes for India, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, the UAE, South Africa and Singapore, with a reminder to check the official source.
How long does it take to settle an estate?
It depends on the country, the size of the estate, whether a grant is needed, property sales and tax. Many straightforward estates take many months and complex ones longer. The 12-month calendar plan gives a realistic rhythm, and you can move milestones as needed.
In what order should an executor pay debts?
Broadly, funeral and administration costs come first, then secured debts, then taxes and any debts the law ranks first, then ordinary debts, and only then gifts and the residue. The exact order depends on your country, and it matters most if the estate may not be able to pay everyone. The Order of Payments decision card walks through the common situations.
Do I need a lawyer to be an executor?
Not always. Many executors handle simple estates themselves and pay for help with specific parts, such as the grant application or tax. Chapter 10 lists the situations where professional help usually saves money, and the letter library includes a first email to a lawyer and a brief for an accountant.
Can I use the workbook with my co-executor in another country?
Yes. The workbook opens in Excel and Google Sheets, so you can share one copy. The Tasks sheet has an owner column, and the CSV task board imports into Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira.
How can I measure my starting point?
Executors read agreements, check detail and make money decisions on behalf of others. Three AssessAll assessments match those skills: Everyday Agreements Assessment: Reading What You Are About to Sign; Attention to Detail and Error Checking; and Money Decision Judgment. Links are on the Start Here road map.
Can I turn what I learn into a development plan?
Yes. Jobulary helps you turn what you learn into a measured individual development plan, which is useful if you want to build your own money, detail and paperwork skills or plan ahead for your own affairs.
Can I get a refund?
Digital kits are non-refundable once downloaded. If a file is corrupted and not fixed within 3 working days, you are charged twice, or the files never arrive, contact us and we will put it right.
How much does The Executor's Kit cost?
₹1,299 including 18% GST for buyers in India, or $34 for buyers outside India. One-time payment, no subscription, with an automatic invoice.
How do I get the files after paying?
Instantly. Your download page opens the moment payment succeeds, and a permanent download link is emailed to you. Download each file separately or everything in one ZIP.
What software do I need?
Any of the usual tools: Excel or Google Sheets for spreadsheets, Word or Google Docs for templates, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Preview, Xodo or GoodNotes for the fillable PDFs, and Google, Outlook or Apple Calendar for the calendar plan.
Can my company buy this for a team?
Yes. Team and company licences, and workshops on this topic run by Bodhih Training, are available. Write to solutions@bodhih.com or call +91 99000 11601.
