Nevada Executor & Trustee Checklist
You've been named executor or trustee in Nevada — and probably handed no instructions. This is the ordered list of what to do, in the sequence Nevada 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
- Executor (named in a will) or Administrator (intestate); collectively 'personal representative'
- Court
- District Court (a Probate Commissioner assists in Clark and Washoe counties)
- Appointment document
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Creditor claim window
- 90 days from first publication (60 days in summary administration)
- Inventory deadline
- File an inventory
- Trustee notice deadline
- No mandatory 60-day duty
- State death tax
- No state estate tax and no inheritance tax
If you're the Executor / Personal Representative
The probate track — administering the estate through the District Court (a Probate Commissioner assists in Clark and Washoe counties).
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This is the document that proves you have authority to act as Executor (named in a will) or Administrator (intestate); collectively 'personal representative'.
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Publish (typically 3 weekly publications) and mail to known creditors (NRS 147.040).
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File an inventory (with appraisal by an appointed appraiser for non-cash assets) within 60 days after appointment (NRS 144.010).
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Notice of hearing on the petition mailed to heirs, devisees, and interested persons at least 10 days before the hearing (NRS 155.010). No UPC 30-day information notice.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Pay valid claims and taxes before distributing anything, in the statutory order — paying family first can leave you personally liable. No state estate tax and no inheritance tax.
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Collect a signed receipt or release from every beneficiary when you distribute.
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Final account and petition for distribution with court approval (NRS Ch. 150–151). Estate generally can't close until the creditor-claim period runs.
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.
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Locate and read the entire trust document, including any amendments and restatements — your powers, limits, and timelines live there.
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No mandatory 60-day duty — NRS 164.021 makes trustee notice permissive ('may'); serving it starts a 120-day clock to contest the trust's validity.
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Publish (typically 3 weekly publications) and mail to known creditors (NRS 147.040).
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Get an EIN for the trust from the IRS — the trust becomes irrevocable at death and files its own returns from that point.
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Retitle and gather the trust assets; hunt down anything never moved into the trust — it may need probate.
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Keep trust assets separate from your own, always — separate accounts, separate records, no exceptions.
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Document every decision, valuation, and distribution as you go.
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Account to the beneficiaries at least annually and at termination.
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Distribute according to the terms of the trust and collect signed receipts and releases.
Good to know in Nevada
Tiered (raised by SB 404, eff. Oct 1, 2025): affidavit up to $25,000 (or $100,000 for a surviving spouse); set-aside up to $150,000 (NRS 146.070); summary administration up to $500,000 (NRS Ch. 145); general administration over $500,000.
Final account and petition for distribution with court approval (NRS Ch. 150–151). Estate generally can't close until the creditor-claim period runs.
Tiered administration keyed to estate value (affidavit / set-aside ≤$150k / summary ≤$500k / general >$500k), raised Oct 1, 2025. Not a UTC state; trustee notice is optional. Nevada's set-aside can pass an estate to a surviving spouse/minor children free of creditor claims.
Sources — investigate further
The steps above are drawn from Nevada'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.