For the executor, trustee, or heir after a death in Tennessee: every settlement tool from the first week to the final distribution, each answered from Tennessee statutes, court rules, and fee schedules.
25 tools for Tennessee
Tennessee has no state income tax, so only the federal final Form 1040 is due for the decedentTenn. Const. art. II, § 28 (Amendment 3, 2014) — no tax on payroll or earned personal income; Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-2-102(5) (Hall income tax rate 0% for tax years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2021) and § 67-2-124(c) ("The income tax levied by this chapter is eliminated for tax years that begin on or after January 1, 2021")Verified Sep 10, 2026View source; a federal estate tax return (Form 706) is required only for estates above $15,000,00026 USC 2001(c), 2010; P.L. 119-21 §70106Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
Estimate the fair market value of household items for probate and see how it affects fees.
Settling an estate in Tennessee: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysTenn. Code Ann. § 30-2-301Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsT.C.A. §§ 30-2-306, 30-2-307, 30-2-310, 30-2-314, 30-2-317Verified Sep 15, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
Settling a trust in Tennessee happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeTenn. Code Ann. § 35-15-101 et seq.Verified Jul 15, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysTenn. Code Ann. § 35-15-813(b); § 35-15-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
After a death in Tennessee, the estate either qualifies for the simplified procedure for estates under $50,000T.C.A. § 30-4-101Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or goes through probate, where creditors have 4 monthsT.C.A. § 30-2-306(b) cl. (1)(A) (4 months from the date of first publication or posting); § 30-2-306(b) cl. (1)(B) (60 days from receipt of actual notice, where actual notice arrives within 60 days of the 4-month date); § 30-2-306(b) cl. (2) and § 30-2-310(a) (12-month outer bar from the date of death); § 30-2-307(a)(1) (claims barred unless filed within the period prescribed in the § 30-2-306(b) notice); § 30-2-321 (that period is computed from the date of first publication). Verified 2026-09-08.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to file claims after notice.