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Ohio executor checklist (printable)
Last reviewed Oct 29, 2026 · How we check · Report a correction
Read this firstDeadlines below are paraphrased from the cited statutes. Exact start dates (for example, the date of death versus the date letters are issued) and exceptions matter. Confirm with the probate court or an attorney before relying on a deadline.
- Order certified death certificates (A local health department or the Ohio Department of Health Office of Vital Statistics).
- Find the original will. Ohio: Effectively yes, within one year. A beneficiary who knows about the will and controls it, and without reasonable cause conceals it or fails to have it offered for probate within one year after the death, loses what the will leaves them; that share passes as if they had died first.
- Secure the home, vehicles and valuables; forward mail.
- Decide whether probate is needed. Ohio shortcut: Release from administration for estates up to $35,000, or $100,000 if all goes to the surviving spouse.
- If a case is needed, file with the court for the county where the person lived: Probate Division of the Court of Common Pleas for the county (county list).
- Get appointed and receive court letters.
- Get an EIN from the IRS and open an estate bank account.
- Handle creditor claims. Ohio: Creditors must present claims in writing within 6 months after the death, whether or not an executor has been appointed. Late claims are generally barred forever. The executor must allow or reject claims within 30 days after they are presented.
- Prepare an inventory if the court requires one.
- File the final income tax return and any estate income tax returns.
- Pay valid debts and expenses, distribute assets and get receipts.
- Close the estate with the court if a case was opened.
Sources
- A beneficiary who withholds a will or fails to offer it for probate within one year forfeits their gift under it. Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 2107.10, checked Oct 29, 2026.
- All claims must be presented within six months after the death; late claims are barred (limited exceptions in § 2117.061). Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 2117.06(B)–(C), checked Oct 29, 2026.
- Executor allows or rejects claims within 30 days after presentation. Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 2117.06(D), checked Oct 29, 2026.
- An estate may be released from administration if assets are $35,000 or less, or $100,000 or less when everything passes to the surviving spouse. Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 2113.03, checked Oct 29, 2026.
Official forms, fees and e-filing:
- Ohio standard probate forms: decedent’s estate (Supreme Court of Ohio)
- Ohio courts directory (Supreme Court of Ohio)
When to get professional help
This site gives general legal information, not legal advice. Consider talking to a licensed attorney in the state if:
- someone may contest the will, or family members disagree;
- the estate owns a business, out-of-state real estate, or may owe estate tax;
- debts may be larger than the assets;
- you are unsure whether a deadline applies to you, or one may already have passed.
Many state and local bar associations run lawyer referral services; your probate court’s self-help page may list them.
Step-by-step guide: After a death in Ohio · General version: Executor checklist