Estate Bank Account Ledger

Who this is for

Every penny in and out of the estate account. Each line records the date, what it was, the reference and the amount, and the running balance starts from the opening figure you enter, so the ledger can be checked against the bank statement at any point.

Executors and administrators running a separate account for an estate who need a clear record to show the beneficiaries when the estate is wound up.

What this helps you track

• Each receipt and payment, with date and reference
• A running balance to check against the bank statement
• Total money in and total money out
• The closing balance ready for the final estate accounts
• What evidence is kept for each line, and where

How to use it

1. Write the name of the estate, the account name, the bank, the date the account was opened and the opening balance.
2. Enter every transaction in date order: what it was, the reference from the statement and the amount in or out.
3. Give each line a category, such as asset collected, debt paid or expense, and note the evidence you kept, such as a letter, invoice or receipt.
4. The running balance and totals are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, add or subtract each line from the balance above.
5. Check the balance against each bank statement as it arrives, and keep the ledger with the estate papers for the final accounts.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why keep a ledger when the bank sends statements?

Statements show amounts but not what each one was for. The ledger adds the reason, the category and the evidence kept, which is what beneficiaries and anyone checking the estate accounts will ask about.

How is the running balance worked out?

The opening balance you enter at the top, plus every amount in and minus every amount out down to that line. The net to date column shows the movement since the account was opened.

What categories should I use?

Whatever suits the estate. Common ones are assets collected, debts paid, funeral, professional fees, estate expenses and distributions, but the column is free text so you can match your own final accounts.

Does the sheet say what an executor may pay from the account?

No. It records what happened and gives no legal guidance. What an executor can pay, and in what order, depends on the will and the rules where you are, so check with a solicitor or the relevant authority.