Alabama Executor & Trustee Checklist
You've been named executor or trustee in Alabama — and probably handed no instructions. This is the ordered list of what to do, in the sequence Alabama expects it, with the deadlines and terminology that are specific to this state. Work down it, check things off, and nothing important slips.
- Who administers the estate
- Personal Representative (executor if named in a will; administrator if intestate)
- Court
- Probate Court (each of Alabama's 67 counties; elected probate judge). Matters may be removed to Circuit Court.
- Appointment document
- Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (intestate)
- Creditor claim window
- 6 months after grant of letters, or 5 months from first publication, whichever is later
- Inventory deadline
- Within 2 months of appointment
- Trustee notice deadline
- 60 days
- State death tax
- No Alabama estate tax and no inheritance tax
If you're the Executor / Personal Representative
The probate track — administering the estate through the Probate Court (each of Alabama's 67 counties; elected probate judge). Matters may be removed to Circuit Court..
-
This is the document that proves you have authority to act as Personal Representative (executor if named in a will; administrator if intestate).
-
Publish once a week for 3 successive weeks in a county newspaper (Ala. Code 43-2-60/61). Known/reasonably ascertainable creditors must get direct notice and then have 30 days to file.
-
Within 2 months of appointment (Ala. Code 43-2-835); filed with the court unless the will excuses it.
-
Get an EIN for the estate from the IRS (free at irs.gov, ~10 minutes) — the estate is its own taxpayer and you'll need it before a bank will open an account.
-
Open a dedicated estate bank account — every dollar in or out flows through it; commingling estate money with your own is the fastest way to get into trouble.
-
Keep receipts and records of every transaction and decision — not just what you did, but why; your final accounting is built from this and it's your protection if a choice is ever questioned.
-
Pay valid claims and taxes before distributing anything, in the statutory order — paying family first can leave you personally liable. No Alabama estate tax and no inheritance tax.
-
Collect a signed receipt or release from every beneficiary when you distribute.
-
Petition for final settlement with a verified accounting, notice to interested parties, and a hearing. Estate generally can't settle until the ~6-month creditor period has run.
Celestial Divide keeps the inventory, valuations, creditor claims, and beneficiary distributions organized in one place — so nothing on this checklist slips through the cracks.
14 days, no credit card
If you're the Trustee
The trust track — administering a trust outside of probate.
-
Locate and read the entire trust document, including any amendments and restatements — your powers, limits, and timelines live there.
-
60 days — Alabama UTC (Ala. Code 19-3B-813): notify qualified beneficiaries within 60 days of accepting trusteeship and within 60 days after a trust becomes irrevocable.
-
Publish once a week for 3 successive weeks in a county newspaper (Ala. Code 43-2-60/61). Known/reasonably ascertainable creditors must get direct notice and then have 30 days to file.
-
Get an EIN for the trust from the IRS — the trust becomes irrevocable at death and files its own returns from that point.
-
Retitle and gather the trust assets; hunt down anything never moved into the trust — it may need probate.
-
Keep trust assets separate from your own, always — separate accounts, separate records, no exceptions.
-
Document every decision, valuation, and distribution as you go.
-
Account to the beneficiaries at least annually and at termination.
-
Distribute according to the terms of the trust and collect signed receipts and releases.
Good to know in Alabama
Summary Distribution — threshold $37,075 for the March 2025–Feb 2026 period (CPI-adjusted every March); requires sworn petition, publication, and 30-day waits.
Petition for final settlement with a verified accounting, notice to interested parties, and a hearing. Estate generally can't settle until the ~6-month creditor period has run.
Probate handled by elected county probate judges; any party may petition to remove administration to Circuit Court. PR bond required unless waived by the will or all heirs.
Sources — investigate further
The steps above are drawn from Alabama's own statutes and courts. To dig deeper:
We'll email you a copy so it's always one click away. No spam — just the checklist and the occasional estate-settlement tip.
Celestial Divide keeps the inventory, valuations, creditor claims, and beneficiary distributions organized in one place — so nothing on this checklist slips through the cracks.
14 days, no credit card
General information, not legal advice. Laws change and county practice varies. When in doubt, talk to a probate attorney licensed in the relevant state.