Estate
How to find a loved one’s assets after death
1. Request the deceased person’s IRS tax transcriptsFederal law
A tax transcript shows most line entries from a filed return and, if you ask for it, income reported on Forms W-2, 1099 and 1098. Those forms name the payer, so a 1099-INT (interest) points to a bank, a 1099-DIV (dividends) to a brokerage or fund, and a 1099-R to a pension, IRA or annuity. Transcripts are free for many returns.
Who can ask: an estate administrator, executor or personal representative. What to send: the deceased’s full name, last address and Social Security number; a copy of the death certificate; and either court-approved Letters Testamentary (also called letters of administration) or Form 56, Notice Concerning Fiduciary Relationship, with any letters attached.
How: file Form 4506-T to have the transcript mailed to you. An online request is mailed to the deceased person’s address of record instead. For a full copy of a return, use Form 4506, which charges a fee per return.
- What an executor can request; proof required (death certificate plus Letters Testamentary or Form 56); free transcript that can include W-2/1099/1098 data; Form 4506-T to have it mailed to you; online requests go to the address of record; Form 4506 for copies, with a fee. Source: IRS – Request deceased person’s information, checked Oct 29, 2026.
- Form 56 notifies the IRS of a fiduciary relationship. Source: IRS – About Form 56, checked Oct 29, 2026.
2. Search state unclaimed propertyState law
Dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, stock and dividends, insurance benefits and deposits are turned over to the state. Search every state where the person lived or banked. The official sites are free to use.
Other states: the national association of state unclaimed property administrators links to each state’s official program at unclaimed.org.
- New Hampshire’s Abandoned Property Division returns property such as bank accounts, shares and dividends, insurance benefits, wages and security deposits at no cost to the owner. Source: NH State Treasury – Unclaimed Property, checked Oct 29, 2026.
3. Search for life insurance and annuitiesNational
The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator is free. Beneficiaries, executors and legal representatives submit the deceased’s details from the death certificate, and participating insurers search their records. A company contacts you only if it finds a policy and you are the beneficiary or are authorized. That can take up to 90 business days, and insurers take part voluntarily, so “no match” doesn’t prove there is no policy.
- Free; open to beneficiaries, executors or legal representatives; companies respond only if they have a match and you are authorized; up to 90 business days; voluntary participation. Source: NAIC – Life Insurance Policy Locator FAQ, checked Oct 29, 2026.
- How to submit a request. Source: NAIC – How to use the Life Insurance Policy Locator, checked Oct 29, 2026.
4. Real estate: registry of deeds or county recorderState law
Search the land records in each county where the person may have owned property, looking for deeds, mortgages and any transfer on death deed. County pages: New Hampshire · California · Texas · Florida · Ohio.
5. Paper and digital trails
- Mail and email: statements, dividend checks, year-end tax forms and renewal notices.
- Bank statements and checkbook: recurring deposits and payments can reveal pensions, annuities, insurance premiums and other accounts.
- Employers and pension plans: ask about retirement plans, group life insurance and final pay. A 1099-R on the transcript names the payer.
- Digital accounts: online banks, brokerages, payment apps and crypto. Each company sets its own process; expect to provide the death certificate and your court letters.
- Safe deposit box: rules for opening one after a death vary by state and bank. We haven’t verified them for our pilot states yet, so ask the bank.
Next: How to find a loved one’s debts · Executor checklist