Being named executor in West Virginia is a 12–18 month job nobody trained you for. This is the whole sequence — what West Virginia requires of you, what is merely sensible, and which statute each requirement comes from.
Claims must be filed within 60 days of first publication of the notice — a notably short window. Where the appraisement is $200,000 or less (excluding specifically devised real estate and non-probate assets), or there is a single competent beneficiary, the estate settles without a fiduciary commissioner unless someone requests reference within that same 60 days.read at source
60 days
W. Va. Code §44-1-14a · last checked 2026-09-05
West Virginia specifics (verified against public sources July 2026 but NOT yet reviewed by an attorney -- confirm with the County Commission / County Clerk or a probate attorney): probate is handled in the County Commission / County Clerk. File an appraisement/inventory with the County Clerk within 90 days of qualification (W. Va. Code 44-1-14). West Virginia creditors must file claims within 60 days of first publication of the notice — a notably short window (W. Va. Code 44-1-14a). Where the appraisement is $200,000 or less (excluding specifically devised real estate and non-probate assets), or there is a single competent beneficiary, the estate settles without a fiduciary commissioner unless someone requests one within that same 60 days. West Virginia has NO estate or inheritance tax. The federal estate tax applies only to very large estates. General information, not legal advice.
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.
Nearly every institution requires an original certified copy.
How: Order through the funeral home or the state vital-records office.
West Virginia requires the will's custodian to deliver it within 30 days of learning of the death to the County Clerk or the named executor (W. Va. Code 41-5-1).
How: Take the original will to the County Commission / County Clerk or the named representative promptly.
You are responsible for protecting estate property from loss.
How: Lock up, collect keys, consider re-keying, keep utilities on for now.
The mail reveals accounts and bills you don't know about.
How: USPS forwarding as 'representative for the estate of...'. Photograph everything into Settle.
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.
Small estates can often skip full probate -- faster and cheaper.
How: A summary settlement is available where probate assets are $200,000 or less; a separate small-estate affidavit route exists (personal property up to $50,000, real property up to $100,000).
Gets you the letters of authority so institutions will deal with you.
How: File in the County Commission / County Clerk in the county where they lived.
Statements, deeds, titles, and tax returns recur constantly through settlement.
How: Photograph everything into Settle as you find it.
Vacancy can limit or void coverage; an uninsured loss drains the estate.
How: Call the insurer and ask about a vacancy endorsement.
Needed for the estate bank account and tax filings.
How: Free at irs.gov, 15 minutes online.
Never mix estate money with your own.
How: Bring the letters, EIN, and a death certificate to the bank.
West Virginia creditors generally have 60 days from the first publication of the notice to creditors (a notably short window) — W. Va. Code Ch. 44, Art. 2/3A.
How: Publish and mail the required notices; track claims in Settle.
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.
Policies pay beneficiaries directly and often quickly.
How: Call each insurer with policy number + death certificate.
Stops fees and identity theft.
How: Notify issuers, then Equifax, Experian, TransUnion.
Small drains add up over a long settlement.
How: Bank statements and forwarded mail reveal them.
File an appraisement/inventory with the County Clerk within 90 days of qualification (W. Va. Code 44-1-14).
How: Settle's inventory report gives you the asset list with date-of-death values.
W. Va. Code §44-1-14a · last checked 2026-09-05read at source
Date-of-death values set tax basis and drive distribution.
How: Real estate: appraisal or broker opinion. Keep reports in Settle.
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.
West Virginia has NO estate or inheritance tax. 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.
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.
Documented expenses come back to you from the estate.
How: Settle's ledger tracks 'paid personally' items; reimburse with a paper trail.
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.
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 West Virginia, 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.
Every figure on this page links to the statute or court source it came from and shows the date we last read it. All 2 citations on this page have been read against the primary statute text.
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.