Open probate and request Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (no will). State-specific petition contents, prepared for filing. PDF.
Step 1 of 2
Tell us about you and whether there is a will.
The state where the decedent was domiciled. Only states where a self-represented filer can prepare this document are listed.
How you relate to the person who died (e.g. named executor, surviving spouse, child).
FREE & PRIVATE: This form is free—no account or credit card required. Your document contents and generated PDF never leave your browser—SimplyTrust does not transmit or store them. Contact details you provide (name, email, phone, state) are transmitted only to send the updates you agree to receive at download. You are responsible for saving your completed document.
SELF-HELP SERVICE: SimplyTrust provides a self-help document preparation service. We are not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice, select forms for you, or tell you how to complete forms. Our role is limited to providing a platform where you input your own information into document templates.
NOT LEGAL ADVICE:This document was created entirely based on your selections. SimplyTrust does not review, analyze, or verify your entries, nor do we verify your identity, capacity, or authority to act. You are solely responsible for determining whether this document meets your needs and for completing all required execution formalities (signatures, witnesses, notarization, or recording) in accordance with your state's laws. For any legal questions, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
They are the court document that gives a personal representative authority to act for an estate. Letters Testamentary are issued when there is a will (to the executor); Letters of Administration are issued when there is no will (to an administrator). The court issues them after it grants your petition — you cannot fill out Letters directly; you file a petition for them.
The petition (or application) is the document you prepare and file to open probate and request appointment. The Letters are the output the court issues afterward. This tool prepares the petition.
It depends on the state. We prepare the petition in the 22 of 51 jurisdictions where a self-represented person can open an estate. A handful of states require an attorney of record to apply for Letters — for those, we explain the requirement and the alternatives instead. Select your state to see which applies.
No. Some states publish a statewide fillable petition form, which we complete for you. Others have no form, so the petition must be drafted to the contents the state statute requires — which we generate. Select your state to see how it works there.
Yes. This tool prepares the petition; you sign it, attach the required documents (such as a certified death certificate and the original will), and file it with the probate court in the county where the decedent lived. The court reviews it and, if granted, issues the Letters.
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Being named executor means navigating probate, managing assets, and distributing the estate. What's expected, what you can charge, and how to start.
Learn more
Losing a parent is overwhelming. What needs to happen next — settling the estate, navigating probate, and the steps to move forward.
Learn more
