Australia
Executor Checklist NSW: Probate Steps, Deadlines and Notices
What a first-time executor in New South Wales does: the grant check, the 14-day notice on the NSW Online Registry, key deadlines and the order of the work.
Read guideAustralia · New South Wales
New South Wales Executor Kit
Being named executor in New South Wales means deadlines that start running from the date of death, letters to write and every amount to account for. This kit gives you the New South Wales rules in one place, each linked to its official source, and the files to do the work.
A$55
Price includes VAT or GST where it applies.
- Instant download after payment
- Word and Excel files
- Checked against official sources
Available to customers outside the European Union and the European Economic Area.
What's inside
AU_New_South_Wales_User_Guide.docxUser guide: your role, route check, legal deadlines, step-by-step order of work, taxes and fees, official forms and a final checklist for New South Wales.
AU_New_South_Wales_Executor_Workbook_TRACKER.xlsxExecutor workbook: deadlines calculated from the dates you enter, assets, debts, estate account with running balance, distributions, contacts and letters, fees and taxes.
AU_New_South_Wales_Financial_Letters_TEMPLATE.docxFive letters: bank or credit union, life insurer, superannuation fund, creditor, investment account.
AU_New_South_Wales_Services_Agencies_Letters_TEMPLATE.docxSix letters: utilities, credit reporting agency, landlord, employer, subscriptions, government organisations.
AU_New_South_Wales_Beneficiary_Letters_TEMPLATE.docxThree letters to beneficiaries (first letter, progress update, distribution) and a receipt form.
Who it's for
- You are named executor in a will, or you are applying to be appointed, for someone who lived in New South Wales.
- You are doing this for the first time and want the legal deadlines and the order of the work in one place.
- You want to keep clear records for the beneficiaries and, where required, for the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
- You may also be working with a lawyer and want to stay organised and keep costs under control.
How the documents work together
- Read the user guide first: it explains the role, the route and the deadlines, and tells you which file to use at each step.
- Enter the date of death in the workbook. Each legal deadline then appears with its due date, legal basis and official link.
- Send the notification letters from the three template files and log each one in the Contacts and Letters tab.
- Record every asset, debt, receipt and payment in the workbook. The estate account balance is checked against your bank balance.
- When the waiting periods have passed and debts are dealt with, the Distributions tab works out each beneficiary's entitlement and the receipt form closes the loop.
Route check
Not every estate in New South Wales needs the full court process. These are the routes the guide explains:
| Route | When it may apply |
|---|---|
| No grant (informal administration) | The estate has no real estate held solely or as tenants in common, and each asset holder (bank, super fund, insurer) agrees to release the asset without a grant under its own criteria. |
| Grant of probate | There is a valid will naming an executor, and an asset holder requires a grant or the deceased owned real estate in NSW solely or as tenant in common. |
| Letters of administration (with or without the will) | There is no valid will, or the will names no executor able or willing to act. |
Check the current threshold on the official source before relying on a simplified route.
What's not included
- Legal advice on your situation, or answers to questions about a specific estate.
- Official court or tax forms: they are free on the official websites, and the guide links to them.
- Filing, submitting or checking documents for you.
- Tax calculations for your estate: the workbook records the amounts you obtain from the tax authority or your adviser.
Format and delivery
You receive a private download link by email as soon as your payment is confirmed. The link works 5 times within 30 days. Files: one Word user guide, one Excel workbook (works in Microsoft Excel 2016 or later, LibreOffice and Google Sheets), and three Word letter templates. Each file is licensed to you for your personal use; your name or email and order number appear in the footer.
Questions about this kit
Do I need a lawyer to act as executor in New South Wales?
The Supreme Court publishes help for people applying without a lawyer. Legal advice is strongly advisable if the will is unclear, the application is contested, or a family provision claim is made. The guide's section on professional help lists situations where speaking to a lawyer is wise.
Is there a simpler process for small estates in New South Wales?
Letters of administration (with or without the will): There is no valid will, or the will names no executor able or willing to act. An eligible person (usually the closest relative or a beneficiary) applies to the Supreme Court for letters of administration, after publishing the notice of intended application. The route check in the guide compares every route, with its legal basis and official source.
Which deadlines does the New South Wales workbook calculate?
The workbook calculates every statutory deadline in the guide from the dates you enter, including: File the probate application, or explain the delay (6 months from the date of death); Family provision claims must be made (12 months from the date of death). Federal deadlines are included too.
Helpful guides
Australia
Executor Checklist Queensland: Notices, Forms and Time Limits
How probate and administration usually work in Queensland: the grant check, the notice and waiting periods, the forms, family provision limits and tax basics.
Read guideAustralia
Executor Checklist South Australia: CourtSA Steps and Time Limits
The current South Australian process for executors: small estate routes, CourtSA lodgement, disclosing assets, debt order and the family provision period.
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