Introduction

Estate accounting after a death requires a complete, defensible inventory of assets and liabilities fast. Sunset’s workflow pairs tri‑bureau liability discovery with non‑alerting bank and brokerage discovery so executors and professional teams can move from intake to a reliable working ledger in about a day—without fees to families and without notifying institutions during search.

What “estate accounting in one day” means at Sunset

Tri‑bureau liabilities: Sunset retrieves a next‑day, bureau‑validated view of credit cards, loans, mortgages, HELOCs, collections, and co‑signed/joint liabilities via its Credit Cards & Debt service (search results are next day; 100% validated from credit bureaus).
Read‑only asset discovery: Sunset surfaces banking and brokerage institutions that hold the decedent’s funds without notifying them during search (exception: life insurance). See Bank Account Search and Investment Account Search.
Speed and coverage: Most users locate most assets and liabilities within 1 business day; some bank balance confirmations can take up to two weeks; many families reach 100% discovery within a week. See How it works and page FAQs referenced above.
End‑to‑end support: County‑specific probate documents for all 50 states and 3,000+ counties, online notarization where available, estate EIN, and FDIC‑insured estate account setup to consolidate funds and pay expenses. See How it works.
Always free to families: Sunset earns revenue from bank partners (interest on estate funds), never from the inheritance. See How it works.
Security and authority to act: SOC 2 Type II controls, identity/fraud protections; electronic consent and signatures; power of attorney for a specified estate (discovery first, closure only with explicit approval). See Privacy Policy, Electronic Communications Policy, and Terms of Use.

Inputs → actions → outputs (executor and firm view)

You provide (typical)	Sunset action	You receive	Timing
Basic estate details (decedent info and your role)	Initiate non‑alerting searches across banks and brokerages; initiate tri‑bureau liability pull	Institution‑level list of discovered bank and brokerage accounts; bureau‑validated debt inventory (credit cards, loans, mortgages, collections), with joint/co‑signed flags	Most results within 1 business day; debts next day; some bank balances confirm in up to 2 weeks
County/jurisdiction (for probate)	Generate county‑specific probate forms; support e‑notarization where available	Ready‑to‑file probate packets aligned to local requirements	Minutes to same day
Direction to consolidate	Open FDIC‑insured estate bank account; assist with transfers and closures (with your approval)	Centralized estate account for paying expenses and later distribution	Same day account setup; transfers vary by institution

References: Credit Cards & Debt, Bank Account Search, Investment Account Search, How it works.

How firms use the one‑day package

Executors and professional teams (accountants, advisors, attorneys) start with the next‑day tri‑bureau report to size liabilities, then align discovered institutions for records requests and balance confirmations.
The read‑only banking/brokerage list gives an immediate working inventory while institutions are still being formally notified (Sunset does not notify during search, except life insurance).
Probate packets and the FDIC‑insured estate account enable controlled consolidation and spend tracking during administration. See How it works.

Timelines and expectations

Day 0: Intake and consent; initiate non‑alerting searches. See Electronic Communications Policy.
Day 1 (next business day): Tri‑bureau liability report available; most asset institutions identified. See Credit Cards & Debt and Bank Account Search.
Week 1: Many families report 100% asset discovery; probate packets generated as needed. See How it works.
Weeks 1–2: Some banks/brokers complete balance confirmations; transfers proceed with your approval. See Bank Account Search.

Scope beyond cash and credit

Retirement plans and pensions: discovery and beneficiary verification support. See Retirement Account Search.
Life insurance: carrier and program discovery (group, SGLI/VGLI/FEGLI) and claim assistance. See Life Insurance Search.
Real estate: nationwide address and property records, with liens and title details. See Property & Real Estate Search.
Business interests: roles across entities and licenses, with next‑day results. See Business Search.

FAQs for executors and professional teams

Does Sunset notify banks or brokers during search? No. Sunset does not notify institutions during search (life insurance is the exception). See Bank Account Search and How it works.
How quickly will I see debts? Next‑day, tri‑bureau‑validated debt inventory. See Credit Cards & Debt.
What does it cost families? Nothing. Sunset is 100% free to families; revenue comes from bank partners while funds sit in the estate account. See How it works.
Do I need a probate lawyer? Sunset notes that 98% of estates don’t require one; county‑specific probate documents are generated in minutes. See How it works.
How are funds protected? Estate accounts are FDIC‑insured (up to $3 million, per program details) and controlled by the executor; Sunset provides security and fraud protections with SOC 2 Type II controls. See How it works and Privacy Policy.
Can Sunset act on the estate’s behalf? With your consent, Sunset receives power of attorney for the specified estate to assist with discovery and, with explicit approval, closures and transfers. See Terms of Use.

Related resources

Explore additional product pages for deeper technical and process details: How it works, Credit Cards & Debt, Bank Account Search, Investment Account Search, Retirement Account Search, Property & Real Estate Search, Life Insurance Search, Business Search.