Settling an estate in Nevada: the executor's checklist

State content checked 2026-09 · 24 steps · rule table 2026.09.1

Being named executor in Nevada is a 12–18 month job nobody trained you for. This is the whole sequence — what Nevada requires of you, what is merely sensible, and which statute each requirement comes from.

The Nevada rules an executor is held to

Claims must be filed within 90 days after mailing (where mailing is required) or 90 days after first publication. A creditor who receives mailed notice files within the LATER of 30 days after mailing or 90 days after first publication. Reduced to 60 days where summary administration is granted.read at source

90 days / 60 days summary

NRS §147.040 · last checked 2026-09-05

Inventory within 120 days after issuance of letters; the older 60-day figure is obsolete.not yet confirmed

120 days

NRS §144.010 · last checked 2026-07

Nevada specifics

Nevada specifics (verified against public sources July 2026 but NOT yet reviewed by an attorney -- confirm with the District Court or a probate attorney): probate is handled in the District Court. File an inventory within 120 days after issuance of letters (NRS 144.010 — the old 60-day figure is obsolete). Nevada creditors generally have 90 days from mailing or first publication; a creditor who receives mailed notice gets the LATER of 30 days from that mailing or 90 days from first publication (reduced to 60 days in summary administration) — NRS 147.040. Nevada has NO estate or inheritance tax (community-property state). The federal estate tax applies only to very large estates. General information, not legal advice.

The full checklist, in order

Steps are grouped the way the work actually arrives. Required marks a duty backed by a citation; Recommended marks something that protects you or the estate but is not itself a legal obligation.

1. Immediate matters

Order certified death certificates (10-12 copies)Recommended

Nearly every institution requires an original certified copy.

How: Order through the funeral home or the state vital-records office.

Deliver / file the will on timeRecommended

Nevada requires the will's custodian to deliver it within 30 days of learning of the death to the court clerk or the named personal representative (NRS 136.050).

How: Take the original will to the District Court or the named representative promptly.

Secure the home and vehiclesRecommended

You are responsible for protecting estate property from loss.

How: Lock up, collect keys, consider re-keying, keep utilities on for now.

Forward the mail to yourselfRecommended

The mail reveals accounts and bills you don't know about.

How: USPS forwarding as 'representative for the estate of...'. Photograph everything into Settle.

Notify the Social Security AdministrationRecommended

Stops benefit payments that would have to be repaid. Survivor benefits are separate — nobody starts them for you.

How: The funeral home usually reports the death — confirm by calling SSA at 1-800-772-1213. If a surviving spouse or child may qualify for survivors benefits or the $255 lump-sum death payment, they must apply themselves; you cannot apply online. Ask about the benefit paid for the month of death, which often has to be returned.

2. Securing the estate

Check if a small-estate procedure appliesRecommended

Small estates can often skip full probate -- faster and cheaper.

How: An affidavit is available for estates of $25,000 or less ($150,000 if the claimant is the surviving spouse); larger tiers exist for set-aside and summary administration (NRS 146).

NRS §147.040 · last checked 2026-09-05read at source

Open probate / apply for lettersMay be required

Gets you the letters of authority so institutions will deal with you.

How: File in the District Court in the county where they lived.

Gather key documents into one placeRecommended

Statements, deeds, titles, and tax returns recur constantly through settlement.

How: Photograph everything into Settle as you find it.

Check homeowners insurance on the empty homeRecommended

Vacancy can limit or void coverage; an uninsured loss drains the estate.

How: Call the insurer and ask about a vacancy endorsement.

Get an EIN for the estateMay be required

Needed for the estate bank account and tax filings.

How: Free at irs.gov, 15 minutes online.

Open an estate bank accountRecommended

Never mix estate money with your own.

How: Bring the letters, EIN, and a death certificate to the bank.

3. Notifications & claims

Notify creditors / publish the required noticeRecommended

Nevada creditors generally have 90 days from mailing/first publication (reduced to 60 days in summary administration) — NRS 147.040.

How: Publish and mail the required notices; track claims in Settle.

Notify banks and financial institutionsRecommended

Freezes accounts against fraud; starts transfers.

How: Write to each institution with a certified death certificate and, once the court issues them, a copy of your Letters. Log who you contacted and when in Settle so you can show the follow-up trail.

File life insurance claimsRecommended

Policies pay beneficiaries directly and often quickly.

How: Call each insurer with policy number + death certificate.

Close credit cards and notify credit bureausRecommended

Stops fees and identity theft.

How: Notify issuers, then Equifax, Experian, TransUnion.

Cancel subscriptions and recurring chargesRecommended

Small drains add up over a long settlement.

How: Bank statements and forwarded mail reveal them.

4. Inventory & valuation

File the estate inventoryRequired

File an inventory within 120 days after issuance of letters (NRS 144.010 — the old 60-day figure is obsolete).

How: Settle's inventory report gives you the asset list with date-of-death values.

NRS §144.010 · last checked 2026-07not yet confirmed

Get valuations for property and valuablesMay be required

Date-of-death values set tax basis and drive distribution.

How: Real estate: appraisal or broker opinion. Keep reports in Settle.

5. Administration

Keep paying legitimate ongoing bills from the estate accountRecommended

Protects estate value; order of payment matters if funds are tight.

How: Estate account only. If the estate may be insolvent, pause and get advice.

Handle state death taxes (if any)Recommended

Nevada has NO estate or inheritance tax (community-property state). The federal estate tax applies only to very large estates.

How: A CPA or estate attorney can confirm what applies and prepare any required return. Hand them Settle's inventory and ledger.

File the final income tax returnMay be required

A final personal return (and possibly an estate income return) is due.

How: A CPA experienced with estates is usually worth it -- hand them Settle's reports.

Reimburse your out-of-pocket expensesRecommended

Documented expenses come back to you from the estate.

How: Settle's ledger tracks 'paid personally' items; reimburse with a paper trail.

6. Distribution & closing

Distribute to beneficiariesMay be required

Distribute only after debts, taxes, and the creditor period are handled -- early distribution can create personal liability.

How: Follow the will (or state intestacy rules). Get signed receipts; keep them in Settle.

File the final account and close the estateMay be required

The court discharges you once the estate is settled.

How: Generate Settle's Ledger and Inventory reports; file the final account. Keep records for several years.

Settle builds this checklist into a plan you can actually work

The steps above, ordered for your situation in Nevada, with the deadlines on a calendar, your documents attached to the step that needs them, and an expense ledger for everything the estate owes you back. The plan itself is free.

Get Settle on the App Store →

How to check us

Every figure on this page links to the statute or court source it came from and shows the date we last read it. 2 of the 4 citations on this page carry the “not yet confirmed” tag. That means we recorded the citation from a secondary source and have not yet read it against the primary statute text ourselves. We could have left those rows out and the page would look better — but it would imply the rest were checked too, which is exactly the impression nobody should be given about a court deadline.

The full registry, including everything we have not confirmed, is published at Where the state information comes from. If the court or your attorney gave you a different date, please tell us at [email protected] — it is the fastest way to get it fixed for the next executor.