Estate Inventory Template — Free and Automatic
A probate inventory lists everything the estate owns, valued as of the date of death. Most courts also want each asset classified and supported by a valuation source. A spreadsheet can hold that data, but it never totals itself or flags what you missed. The free Estate Ledger does both — right in your browser.
What a court-quality inventory includes
| Field | Why the court needs it |
|---|---|
| Asset description | Identifies the exact property ("Chase checking ••4521", not "account") |
| Asset class | Real estate, bank, brokerage, vehicle, personal property... — courts group totals by type |
| Date-of-death value | The valuation standard: what it was worth on the day of death, not today |
| Valuation source | Appraisal letter, account statement — your backup if questioned |
| Passes outside probate? | TOD/beneficiary assets do not belong in the probate total — marking them correctly avoids overstating |
The template problem with spreadsheets
A spreadsheet template gives you empty boxes. It never warns you that an asset has no value entered, never separates non-probate transfers from the probate total, and if you delete a row your formulas break. Executor forums are full of stories about reconciling a broken spreadsheet months later.
The Estate Ledger template is the tool itself: enter assets once, get a clean printable inventory, and the same records flow into your final accounting at the end of probate. Nothing is retyped.
What "date-of-death value" means
Courts value the estate as it stood on the date of death — not today's prices. Real property needs an appraisal (or current tax assessment, depending on your court); bank and brokerage accounts need a statement showing the balance on that date. Personal property usually takes a good-faith market estimate. The Ledger records which source you used for every asset, so the number is always supported.
Common mistakes the Ledger prevents
- Counting TOD/beneficiary assets in the probate total — the Ledger keeps them listed separately
- "Unknown" ownership guessed as "no" — unverified assets stay flagged until you confirm the paperwork
- Assets valued at zero by default — missing values are flagged, not silently ignored
Build your inventory in the free Estate Ledger
Open the Ledger — free, no signupEstate Ledger is an educational organizing tool — not legal advice. Court filing formats vary; confirm your court's requirements. Content checked 2026-10-17.