Louisiana Executor and Estate Kit: the $200,000 Small Estate Route, First Month Checklist and Estate Ledger

Who it is for

Whoever is settling the estate of someone who lived in Louisiana. Handed to the bank or other holder. Given directly to the bank or other holder, with no court filing; for real estate it's filed with the parish Clerk of Court, and for a vehicle it goes to the Office of Motor Vehicles (LouisianaLawHelp's guide).

Not the right fit if

The person didn't live in or own property in Louisiana, or a will contest or family dispute means you need an estate attorney. Not a form preparation or legal service.

Why it is different

• Sources, checked November 2026: Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Art. 3421, Small successions defined (Louisiana Legislature); Résumé digest, Act 90 (SB 32) of the 2024 Regular Session (Louisiana Legislature); LouisianaLawHelp (secondary source): Navigating Louisiana's Small Succession Affidavit (LouisianaLawHelp, reviewed Mar 16, 2026); La. Civil Code art. 1576, Notarial testament; requirements of form (Louisiana Legislature); La. Civil Code art. 1575, Olographic testament; requirements of form (Louisiana Legislature); La. Code of Civil Procedure art. 2887, Notarial testament (Louisiana Legislature); La. Civil Code art. 1577 (repealed by Acts 2025, No. 30), Louisiana Legislature; Louisiana Civil Code art. 1582, Effect of witness or notary as legatee (Louisiana State Legislature); La. Civil Code art. 1476, Minors; incapacity to make donations, exceptions (Louisiana Legislature).
• 2 facts aren't stated on those pages, so the kit leaves them out and lists them once to look up, with the official page.

What is inside

• Louisiana small estate route. For a person who died domiciled in Louisiana, property with a gross value of $200,000 or less at the date of death; $125,000 for Louisiana property of a person domiciled elsewhere; any value if the death was at least 20 years before the affidavit. Real estate counts toward the value, and the procedure can reach it. Signed before a notary. Signed before a notary, and in some cases two witnesses too, as LouisianaLawHelp's guide describes it. Handed to the bank or other holder. Given directly to the bank or other holder, with no court filing; for real estate it's filed with the parish Clerk of Court, and for a vehicle it goes to the Office of Motor Vehicles (LouisianaLawHelp's guide). Small succession affidavit: Heirs and the surviving spouse handle a small succession by affidavit instead of a court-opened succession; an endorsed copy is authority for paying money or delivering property.
• How a Louisiana will had to be signed. Two witnesses and a notary. A notarial testament is signed before a notary public in the presence of two witnesses, and the testator, each witness and the notary sign it. Built into the notarial testament: signed on each page with a declaration signed by the notary and the witnesses, it can be accepted without further proof (Code of Civil Procedure art. 2887). Recognized as an olographic testament if entirely written, dated and signed in the testator's handwriting. The testament stays valid, but a legacy to a witness or to the notary is invalid. A witness who would inherit with no will can still take the smaller of that share or the legacy (Civil Code art. 1582).
• Louisiana estate ledger (Excel). Assets, debts, payments and distributions; it compares the countable assets with $200,000 and counts real estate in the person's name.
• First 30 days, tracker and letters. The first month in order, a documents and accounts tracker, and plain letters to a bank, a utility and Social Security.
• Look up before you file in Louisiana. waiting period after the death, official form: look up on Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Art. 3421, Small successions defined (Louisiana Legislature).