Questions, answered honestly.

Kindeed helps families navigate inherited property — whether through probate, a trust, a transfer-on-death deed, or joint ownership. It's built for the family member — often a daughter, son, or surviving spouse — who has been named to handle things after a parent or partner has died. We help families across the U.S. understand their path, organize documents, and explore options at their own pace.

No. Kindeed is free for families — the AI guide, your document file, the timeline, the calculators, and the library, with no paid tier and nothing held back. Professionals pay a flat monthly subscription to be listed in our directory, and that subscription is our only revenue. If you choose to hire one of them, you pay them directly for their work; Kindeed takes no commission and no percentage of any sale. See “How we make money” for the whole picture.

No. Most families who join Kindeed haven't decided what to do with the home yet. We're here to help you understand what you're holding — whether you eventually keep it, transfer it within the family, rent it, or sell. There's no obligation to do anything.

About two minutes. We ask four short questions about you, the person who died, and the property location. You can come back anytime to add documents or update where you are in probate.

Often not for those assets. Property held in a trust, titled jointly with right of survivorship, or covered by a transfer-on-death or beneficiary designation generally passes outside probate. Probate is usually only needed for assets titled in the person's name alone with nothing naming who receives them — and many states offer a simplified process when what's left is small. How this applies varies by state, so confirm with the probate court or a licensed attorney in your state.

Most estates take roughly 6 to 18 months to fully close, though it varies by state and by complexity. Simple estates with a clear will and no disputes move faster; estates with real property, contested wills, or unpaid creditors take longer. Many states set a mandatory creditor-notice window that acts as a floor — check your state for specifics.

The personal representative — sometimes called the executor or administrator — is the person legally authorized by the probate court to manage the estate. If the deceased left a will, it usually names this person. If not, the court appoints one, typically a close family member.

A court order names you as the personal representative, and what your state calls it varies: Letters of Authority, Letters Testamentary, or Letters of Administration in most states, a Certificate of Appointment or a Certificate of Qualification in others. Whatever the name, it is your legal proof to banks, title companies, and the IRS that you can act on behalf of the estate. Title companies often require a recently dated copy at closing.

Not always. Most states offer a small-estate or summary process for estates under a value threshold (which varies by state) that many families navigate without an attorney. Larger estates, contested wills, or real property typically benefit from one. Kindeed's directory lists probate attorneys who applied, gave us their bar number and where they practice, and had that application reviewed by hand before it went live — browse it whenever you're ready, and confirm any license with the issuing state bar before you hire.

In unsupervised (or independent) administration, the personal representative handles the estate with minimal court oversight — faster and cheaper. Supervised administration involves the court approving major decisions and is used when there's family conflict, a contested will, or a beneficiary requests it. Availability and terminology vary by state.

It's a list of the estate's assets and their fair-market value as of the date of death. Many states require it within a set deadline after your appointment as personal representative — check your state's probate court. Kindeed gives you the worksheet and explains in plain language what each section is asking for; you fill in the values.

Not automatically. Debts of the person who died are normally claims against the estate — creditors present them during a state-set claim window, and valid claims are paid from estate assets before anything goes to the family. A relative's debt doesn't become yours just because you're family, and if the estate has no assets, creditors generally go unpaid. But some situations do change the picture — an agreement you signed yourself, a letter mentioning Medicaid estate recovery, or property moved before the death — and some states have laws that can make family members responsible for certain bills. Our guide explains what these letters mean and exactly when to bring one to a probate attorney.

Typically: a certified death certificate, the original will, the property deed, and once issued, the court order appointing you (your state's Letters or Certificate of Appointment). As probate progresses you'll also produce an inventory worksheet and a final accounting. Kindeed keeps a document checklist built for your state, and links you straight to your county's probate court.

Files are encrypted in transit and at rest. Before a file can be downloaded, the file itself is sent to VirusTotal, a third-party malware scanner, for analysis — so don't upload anything you aren't willing to have scanned that way. Beyond that, a document is visible to you, to anyone you invite to the estate file, to any advisor or attorney you grant access to that specific file, and to our small support team for the limited purpose of helping you. Nothing goes to a buyer or advisor you haven't chosen, and we never sell documents or the information in them.

Yes. You can invite co-executors and beneficiaries with view or edit access. Everyone sees the same checklist, timeline, and document file, so nobody has to relay information second-hand.

Never. Kindeed does not sell or share your personal information with marketing partners, lead-list buyers, or anyone else. Our business is built on trust; we'd rather lose money than your trust.

Whether to repair is a financial and practical decision — it depends on the property's condition, your timeline, and your goals. An independent reconstruction cost analysis can give you a defensible estimate before you spend a dollar. For questions about your specific obligations as personal representative, consult a licensed probate attorney in your state.

It's a written estimate of what it would cost to repair or rebuild the property to current standards, prepared by an independent expert. Families use it for insurance claims, contractor negotiations, and to decide whether to sell as-is or after repairs.

That's a perfectly valid choice, and many families make it. Kindeed can still help you understand the probate process, organize documents, and connect you with property-management or rental advisors if you decide to hold the home.

Kindeed maintains a directory of real estate advisors — flippers, traditional buyers, listing agents, and advisory professionals active in your area who have registered on the platform. Every listing is read and approved by a person before it becomes visible, based on what the professional tells us about their license and where they work; we don't search a state registry, so confirm any license with the issuing board yourself. When you're ready, you can browse the directory and initiate contact directly. Kindeed does not negotiate on your behalf, represent either party, or receive a commission. Any transaction is between you and the advisor.

The Kindeed joint venture (with Renovation Pros LLC) is one registered real estate advisor in the platform directory — reviewed and approved the same way as every other listing. It does not receive preferential placement or treatment. You are never required to consider it, and you will always see the other advisors if you choose to look.

No. Kindeed does not charge a commission, earn a referral fee, or take any percentage of a transaction. Real Estate Advisors access the platform through a membership subscription. Any transaction is between you and the Real Estate Advisor directly, with no Kindeed involvement in negotiations or the deal itself.