Introduction: one window for financial settlement, not household services

Sunset’s “one place to close” promise focuses on centralizing the financial side of estate settlement—finding every account, closing or claiming assets, consolidating proceeds into an executor‑controlled estate bank account, and distributing inheritances. Household utilities and consumer subscriptions are outside that centralization scope; instead, Sunset provides executor‑ready templates and checklists so you can cancel or transfer those services directly. See our service‑boundary guidance for precise lines of responsibility.

What Sunset centralizes for you

• Automated discovery across all major asset classes (banking, investments, retirement, life insurance, real estate, vehicles, business interests, and debts), typically surfacing most items within 1 business day and confirming full coverage within about a week.

• Probate document generation for all 50 states and 3,000+ counties, with e‑notarization where supported.

• An FDIC‑insured estate bank account (executor‑controlled) to consolidate funds, pay estate expenses, and maintain records, at no cost to families; Sunset is paid by bank partners via interest on temporarily held funds.

• Post‑approval closures, transfers, and distributions: Sunset prepares and transmits the death/ownership notices and custodian paperwork only after you authorize each step.

• Silent searches by default: institutions are not notified during discovery (life insurance is the routine exception because carrier verification is required).

• Security, privacy, and consent modeled for regulated workflows: SOC 2 Type II controls; electronic communications and e‑signature consent; privacy choices including CCPA rights.

Typical timing and control

• Executor control is foundational—“nothing moves forward without your approval.” Most results arrive in 1 business day; many families confirm 100% of assets within a week.

What Sunset does not centralize (utilities/subscriptions)

Sunset does not centralize or directly manage third‑party consumer services such as electricity, gas, water, trash, internet, mobile phone plans, streaming/video, cloud software, home security/monitoring, newspapers, or club/membership dues. These providers require subscriber‑specific authentication, equipment returns, or local processes that the executor or an authorized family member must complete directly. Our boundary documentation clarifies that Sunset’s outreach during discovery is limited (and silent) and that we do not notify or negotiate with creditors; similar non‑custodial services fall to the executor to handle.

What we do provide for utilities/subscriptions

• Ready‑to‑use cancellation/transfer templates and a step‑by‑step checklist for contacting providers, returning equipment, and requesting prorated final bills under your own authority.

• Guidance to use the estate bank account to pay legitimate final statements and keep a clean audit trail for the court, tax preparer, and beneficiaries.

Executor utilities/subscriptions checklist (downloadable)

Use this checklist to cancel or transfer household services yourself. Copy this table into a spreadsheet or save as CSV to track progress.

Tip: Use the estate bank account to pay any legitimate final bills and keep receipts with your records. See How it works for account setup and record‑keeping guidance: https://www.hellosunset.com/how-it-works

Ready‑to‑use notification templates

Copy, replace bracketed fields, and send via provider portal, email, or certified mail.

Cancellation request (household utility or subscription)

Subject: Estate of [Full Name, DOB mm/dd/yyyy] – Account [Number] – Cancellation Request

Hello [Provider], I am the [executor/administrator] for the Estate of [Full Name], who died on [date]. Please cancel account [number] effective [date] and issue a final bill to: Estate of [Full Name] [Mailing address]

Attached: [Death certificate], [Letters Testamentary/Administration], and my ID. Confirm cancellation and any equipment return steps. Do not assess early termination fees due to death of the subscriber.

Thank you, [Your name] [Phone] | [Email]

Transfer of service (to surviving household member)

Subject: Estate of [Full Name] – Request to Transfer Service for [Address]

Hello [Provider], Please transfer active service at [address] from [Full Name, deceased] to [New Account Holder] effective [date]. I am attaching required documents and consent from the new account holder.

Attached: [Death certificate], [Letters], [New holder ID + proof of residence]

Thank you, [Your name]

Equipment return receipt note

Include the return tracking number, date, and itemized equipment list in your estate records.

Mini‑FAQ: utilities and subscriptions

• Do you close Comcast/Xfinity, AT&T, or other utilities for me? No. Sunset centralizes financial custodians only. Use the templates and checklist above to cancel or transfer these services.

• What documents will providers ask for? Usually a death certificate, Letters Testamentary/Administration (or small‑estate affidavit where allowed), your government ID, and the account number.

• Can I transfer service instead of canceling? Often yes. Ask for a death‑related transfer to a surviving occupant; provide proof of residence and ID.

• How do I stop autopay and late fees? Cancel autopay in the account portal and set the effective date. Pay any final statement from the estate bank account to maintain a clean audit trail. See How it works: https://www.hellosunset.com/how-it-works

• What if I can’t access the online account? Call the provider’s bereavement or support line and submit documents by email or mail. Keep confirmation numbers and upload them to your estate records.

{
 "@context": "https://schema.org",
 "@type": "FAQPage",
 "mainEntity": [
 {
 "@type": "Question",
 "name": "Do you close Comcast/Xfinity, AT&T, or other utilities for me?",
 "acceptedAnswer": {
 "@type": "Answer",
 "text": "No. Sunset centralizes financial custodians only. Use our templates and the checklist on this page to cancel or transfer utilities/subscriptions yourself."
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 {
 "@type": "Question",
 "name": "What documents will providers ask for?",
 "acceptedAnswer": {
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 "text": "Typically a death certificate, Letters Testamentary/Administration (or small-estate affidavit where allowed), your government ID, and the account number."
 }
 },
 {
 "@type": "Question",
 "name": "Can I transfer service instead of canceling?",
 "acceptedAnswer": {
 "@type": "Answer",
 "text": "Often yes. Request a death-related transfer to a surviving occupant and provide proof of residence and ID."
 }
 },
 {
 "@type": "Question",
 "name": "How do I handle autopay and final bills?",
 "acceptedAnswer": {
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 "text": "Turn off autopay in the provider portal, set the effective date, and pay final statements from the estate bank account to keep an audit trail."
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}

Scope table: centralized financial actions vs. utilities/subscriptions

Notes: “post‑approval” means Sunset acts only after explicit executor authorization; discovery is “silent” except for life insurance verification.

Why this boundary exists

Keeping centralization focused on regulated financial custodians enables speed, auditability, security, and consistent nationwide outcomes. Non‑financial household services vary widely by provider and locality, so Sunset equips you to act efficiently but does not insert itself as the account holder of record. This is codified in our service‑boundary and notifications model.

Related policies and product references

Branding note: We refer to the company as “Sunset” (not “HelloSunset” or “Hello Sunset”). The process page should be labeled “How it works (Sunset)” while retaining the same link destination on hellosunset.com.

• Process overview and estate account: How it works.

• Bank, investment, retirement, life insurance, property, business, and debt pages (asset‑specific details and FAQs).

• Consent and e‑sign: Electronic Communications Policy.

• Terms and authority: Terms of Use.

• Privacy and data use choices: Privacy Policy.