Service 01 — Estate Accounting
An Estate Account
That Speaks for Itself
When an estate passes to the next generation, the financial record left behind matters — to beneficiaries, to courts, and to every professional involved in settling the matter.
Back to Home Begin a ConversationWhat This Service Delivers
A Complete, Defensible Record of the Estate
At the conclusion of this engagement, you will have a structured accounting of everything that passed through the estate — every asset inventoried, every distribution documented, every expense accounted for — in a format that courts and beneficiaries are accustomed to reviewing.
The work removes ambiguity from the settlement process and provides the executor with a clear, professional record to present to all interested parties.
Specific Outcomes
- A complete asset inventory with supporting documentation for each item
- Detailed income, distribution, and expense schedules
- Reports formatted for courts and beneficiary review
- A documentation summary for filing and future reference
The Challenge
Estate Administration Is Rarely Straightforward
Taking on the role of executor means accepting significant responsibility — often during a period of personal grief and with limited time to understand the accounting obligations involved. The records required by courts and beneficiaries can seem daunting when you are also managing the practical realities of estate settlement.
Many executors find themselves uncertain about how to document what has happened to estate assets, or worried that an informal record will not hold up to scrutiny. That concern is entirely reasonable. Fiduciary accounting follows specific conventions that differ from ordinary bookkeeping.
The most common difficulties we hear about are disorganised records inherited from the decedent, accounts spread across multiple institutions, and uncertainty about what level of detail is actually required in the final report.
What Tends to Create Difficulty
Assets spread across multiple institutions
Gathering statements, account closures, and transfer records from banks, brokerages, and other custodians takes considerable time and coordination.
Unclear documentation from the decedent
When the person who held the assets is no longer able to explain them, reconstructing the financial picture requires methodical investigation.
Court formatting requirements
Probate courts have expectations about how an accounting is presented. An informal summary — even an accurate one — may not satisfy those expectations.
Beneficiary questions and concerns
When beneficiaries ask detailed questions, the executor needs a reliable, detailed record to answer them confidently and transparently.
Our Approach
Prepared with the Precision That Fiduciary Work Requires
Estate Accounting & Reporting is structured around the specific requirements of probate and settlement — not adapted from general bookkeeping practice.
Fiduciary Accounting Conventions
We prepare accounts using the principal-and-income framework familiar to courts and co-fiduciaries, with charges and credits structured as the conventions require.
Asset-by-Asset Inventory
Each asset is listed, valued at the date of death, tracked through its disposition, and cross-referenced to supporting documentation — giving the accounting a clear paper trail.
Income and Expense Schedules
Income earned and expenses paid during administration are categorised and scheduled in the format expected by reviewing parties, with receipts and statements attached.
Distribution Ledger
Every distribution to a beneficiary is recorded with date, amount, recipient, and reference — giving the executor a clear, attributable record of what was paid and to whom.
Working Together
What the Process Looks Like
Scope Review
We begin with a conversation about the estate — its size, complexity, and what documentation is already in hand. No guesswork about what will be needed.
Document Collection
We will tell you exactly what to gather. Statements, deeds, account closures, and correspondence are assembled into an organised working file.
Accounting Preparation
Schedules are drafted — assets, income, expenses, distributions — with documentation attached and each item reconciled against source records.
Review & Delivery
Before delivery, we walk through the completed accounting together. Questions are addressed and the final package is provided in the agreed format.
Investment
Estate Accounting & Reporting
Starting Investment
$2,500
USD — Per Estate Engagement
The final engagement fee is determined by the complexity and volume of the estate. A straightforward estate with a small number of assets will typically fall at or near this starting point. We discuss scope before committing to an engagement, so there are no surprises.
Discuss Your EstateWhat Is Included
- Initial scope review and planning consultation
- Complete asset inventory with documentation
- Income, expense, and distribution schedules
- Court and beneficiary-formatted final report
- Supporting documentation summary for filing
- Pre-delivery review session with the practitioner
- Coordination with legal counsel as needed
Methodology
A Framework Built on Fiduciary Standards
The accounting produced by this engagement is grounded in the conventions used by estate practitioners, courts, and co-fiduciaries across jurisdictions.
Scope
340+
Estate accountings completed across a range of complexity — from straightforward single-asset estates to multi-jurisdictional matters.
Experience
18 yrs
Of dedicated fiduciary accounting practice — not general accounting that occasionally touches estate matters, but specialised work in this area.
Timeline
Agreed
Each engagement includes an agreed delivery timeline established at the outset, allowing you to plan the settlement process around it.
Our Commitment
You Know What You Are Getting Before We Begin
Scope Agreed in Writing
Before any work begins, we confirm in writing what will be prepared, what the engagement fee will be, and when delivery will occur. If scope changes, we discuss it before proceeding.
Pre-Delivery Review Included
Before the final accounting is delivered, we sit down with you — virtually or in writing — to walk through it. Questions are answered and any corrections are made before anything goes to court or beneficiaries.
No Obligations Before Engagement
An initial conversation about your estate does not commit you to anything. We discuss your situation, explain what we would prepare, and let you decide whether to proceed.
Coordinated with Your Counsel
We work alongside the attorneys and other professionals already involved. The accounting will be prepared to support, not complicate, the broader settlement process they are managing.
Getting Started
A Clear Path Forward
Starting the process is straightforward. There is no complicated intake or lengthy questionnaire — just a conversation about where things stand.
Step One
Reach Out
Use the contact form or email us directly at [email protected]. Describe the estate briefly — its approximate size and where matters currently stand.
Step Two
Scope Conversation
We will follow up to discuss the estate in more detail — what assets are involved, what documentation is available, and what the accounting will need to cover.
Step Three
Engagement Confirmed
Scope, timeline, and fee are confirmed in writing. Document gathering begins, and you will know exactly when to expect the completed accounting.
Estate Accounting & Reporting
Ready to Bring Order to the Estate?
A conversation is the natural first step. Share a few details about the estate and we will be in touch to discuss what the accounting engagement would involve.
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