Account For Final Settlement

There are all sorts of forms executors, beneficiaries, and probate court clerks have to fill out and correspond with during probate and estate settlement, including affidavits, letters, petitions, summons, orders, and notices.

Account For Final Settlement is a commonly used form within Texas. Here’s an overview of what the form is and means, including a breakdown of the situations when (or why) you may need to use it:

Atticus Fast Facts About Account For Final Settlement

Sometimes it’s tough to find a quick summary— here’s the important details you should know about Account For Final Settlement:

• This form pertains to the State of Texas

Government forms are not typically updated often, though when they are, it often happens rather quietly. While Atticus works hard to keep this information about Texas’s Form Account For Final Settlement up to date, certain details can change from time-to-time with little or no communication.

Step 1 - Download the correct Texas form based on the name and ID if applicable

Double check that you have both the correct form name and the correct form ID. Some Texas probate forms can look remarkably similar, so it’s best to double, even triple-check that you’re using the right one! Keep in mind that not all States have a standardized Form ID system for their probate forms.

Step 2 - Complete the Document

Fill out all relevant fields in Form Account For Final Settlement, take a break, and then review. Probate and estate settlement processes in TX are long enough to begin with, and making a silly error can push your timeline even farther back. No thank you!

Note: If you don’t currently know all of the answers and are accessing Form Account For Final Settlement online, be sure to avoid closing the browser tab and potentially losing all your progress (or use a platform like Atticus to help avoid making mistakes).

Step 3 - Have Form witnessed or notarized (if required)

Some States and situations require particular forms to be notarized. If you have been instructed to get the document notarized or see it in writing on the document, then make sure to hire a local notary. There are max notary fees in the United States that are defined and set by local law. Take a look at our full guide to notary fees to make sure you aren’t overpaying or getting ripped off.

Step 4 - Submit Account For Final Settlement to the relevant office

This is most often the local probate court where the decedent (person who passed away) is domiciled (permanently resides) or the institution involved with this particular form (e.g. a bank). Some offices allow you to submit forms online, other’s don’t, and we while we generally recommend going in-person to expedite the process, sometimes that simply isn’t an option.

It’s also a generally good idea to establish a positive working relationship with any probate clerk (unfortunately there’s enough people & process out there making things more difficult and unnecessarily confusing for them), so a best practice is to simply ask the probate clerk proactively exactly how and where they’d prefer you to submit all forms.

Need help getting in touch with a local probate court or identifying a domicile probate jurisdiction?

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Different probate forms or processes can require different deadlines or response times for completing the appropriate form.

While some steps in the process are bound to specific deadlines (like petitioning for probate, having to submit an inventory of assets, or filing applicable notices to creditors and beneficiaries), many probate forms or processes are not tied to a specific deadline since the scope of work can vary based on situational factors or requirements involved.

Either way, there are a bunch of practical reasons why personal representatives should work to complete each step as thoroughly and quickly as possible when completing probate in Texas.

5 reasons you should submit this form as quickly as possible:

1. The sooner you begin, the faster Texas can allow heirs and beneficiaries to get their share of assets subject to probate. Acting promptly can also decrease the costs & overall mental fatigue through an otherwise burdensome process.
   
   Helpful Context: What’s the Difference Between Probate and Non-Probate Assets?

2. In general, creditors of an estate usually have around 3-6 months from the time you file notice to creditors to file any claims for debt against the deceased’s assets. If they don’t, then that debt is forfeited (and more importantly, the executor won’t be held personally responsible). So doing this sooner means you have a better idea of who is owed what and ensures you won’t get a surprise collector months later.

3. Not filing a will within 30 days (on average) could mean that the probate process proceeds according to intestate laws (laws that govern what happens to someone's stuff without a will) or is subject to unnecessary supervision by the probate court. And if you aren't directly related to the deceased (a.k.a. next of kin), this could also mean you lose your inheritance.

4. It’s important to file any necessary state tax returns on behalf of the deceased or estate by the following tax season in Texas. If you don’t, you could owe penalties and interest. This also includes any necessary federal tax returns such as Forms 1040, 1041, or even a Form 706 estate tax return.

5. If a house in the State of Texas is left empty (or abandoned) for a while, insurance can get dicey. For example, if the house burns down and no one has been there for a year, an insurance company may get out of paying your claim.

If you’re not using Atticus to get specific forms, deadlines, and timelines for Texas probate, then try and stay as organized as possible, pay close attention to the dates mentioned in any correspondence you have with the State’s government officials, call the local Texas probate clerk or court for exact answers regarding Form Account For Final Settlement, and when in doubt— consult a qualified trust & estates lawyer for that area.

Account For Final Settlement is one of the many probate court forms available for download through Atticus.

It may also be available through some Texas probate court sites, such as . In order to access the latest version, be updated with any revisions, and get full instructions on how to complete each form, check out the Atticus Probate & Estate Settlement software or consider hiring a qualified legal expert locally within Texas.

While Atticus automatically provides the latest forms, be sure to choose the correct version of Form Account For Final Settlement f using any other site or resource in order to avoid having to re-complete the form process and/or make another trip to the Texas probate court office.

Account For Final Settlement is a .pdf, so opening it should be as simple as clicking “View Form” from within the Atticus app or by clicking the appropriate link found on any Texas-provided government platform. Once you’ve opened the form, you should be able to directly edit the form before saving or printing.

Here’s the text, verbatim, that is found on Texas Form Account For Final Settlement. You can use this to get an idea of the context of the form and what type of information is needed.

No. ________________ IN THE ESTATE OF ) ) IN THE _____________ COURT FOR ) ______________ COUNTY, TEXAS ____________________________, ) DECEASED ) Account for Final Settlement _________________, ______________ of this estate (“Applicant”), presents this verified Account for Final Settlement pursuant to the provisions of the Texas Estates Code: 1.There is no further need for administration of this estate. Except as may be provided below, all debts known to exist against this estate have been paid. 2.The property belonging to the estate that has come into my hands is that property listed and described in the Inventory, Appraisement, and List of Claims previously filed herein, (check one, if applicable): __ and in the Annual Account for the period ending ____________. __ and in the Supplemental Inventory __ and in the Annual Account for the period ending ___________ and in the Supplemental Inventory , reference to which is here made for all purposes. (List any other disposition of any property that has been made) ______________________________________________________________________________________ 3.The debts of the estate that have been paid by authorization of the Court are as follows (list the names of creditors and the amounts paid. If there are none, state “NONE.”) ______________________________________________________________________________________ 4.The previously unreported receipts of the estate are as follows (Give the amount, date, and nature of each. If there are none, state “NONE”.): ______________________________________________________________________________________ 5.The previously unreported disbursements of the estate have been as follows (Give the amount, date, and nature of each. If there are none, state “NONE.”): ______________________________________________________________________________________ 6.The debts and expenses still owing by the estate are as follows (Give the names of creditors and the amounts remaining unpaid, and attach copies of supporting invoices and statements. If there are none, state “NONE.”): ______________________________________________________________________________________ 7.The property of the estate remaining on hand is as follows (List all property remaining on hand, using descriptions identical to those used in the inventory. Be complete. If there is none, state “NONE.”): ______________________________________________________________________________________ 8.Attached to this account are proper vouchers for each item of credit claimed in this account. 9.Attached to this account are verifications from all depositories where money or other personal property belonging to this estate is being held in safekeeping. 10.All required bond premiums have been paid. The tax returns that have been filed, the taxes due and owing that have been paid, the date the taxes were paid, and the governmental entity to which taxes were paid are as follows ( Describe each tax return and give the amount of taxes paid, the date taxes were paid, and the governmental entity to which taxes were paid. If there are none, state “NONE.”): ______________________________________________________________________________________ 11.The persons entitled to receive the property remaining on hand after the payment of all debts and expenses [include for regular dependent administration: have been determined pursuant to the Judgment Declaring Heirship previously entered in this estate and] are as follows (List all persons entitled to a portion of D’s estate and indicate proper shares, their relationships to D, their residences, whether adults or minors, and, if minors, the names of their guardians.): ______________________________________________________________________________________ 12.All advances or payments made to persons entitled to receive portions of Decedent’s estate are as follows (Give the amounts, dates, and details of all advances and the names of those to whom the advances were made. If there are none, state “NONE.”): ______________________________________________________________________________________ 13.Notice has been or will be given to all heirs and beneficiaries as required by law or by the Court. 14.This account contains a correct and complete statement of the matters to which it relates. Applicant prays that citation be served as required by law, following which the Court audit, settle, and approve this account and authorize the payment of all unpaid debts and expenses and the distribution of the property remaining on hand to the persons entitled to receive that property, and sign such other orders as may be proper. Respectfully submitted, SIGNATURE Printed Name: _____________________________ Address: _________________________________ Phone: ___________________________________ Affidavit of ________________ STATE OF TEXAS ) ) COUNTY OF ___________ ) BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared ____________, known to me to be the ______________of the Estate of ______________, Deceased, and to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing Account for Final Settlement, and, after being duly sworn by me, stated that the account and all vouchers and other attachments thereto are true, correct, and complete in every respect. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ SIGNATURE SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO BEFORE ME by ______________________ on ___________________________. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Notary Public, State of Texas