5 East Pine Street                                                    Phone: (302) 855-7875 
P.O. Box 743                                                         Fax: (302) 853-5871 
Georgetown, DE  19947                                               willsinfo@sussexcountyde.gov
      
                                  Part 1 

                                 Register of Wills   
                                             
                         INVENTORY INSTRUCTIONS 
                                             
No appointment is necessary for filing the Inventory, you may mail in this document or hand deliver 
it. This packet is due three (3) months from the date the Estate was opened. Pages cannot be left 
blank, if there are no assets to list, write in “None” or “N/A” and zero out the bottom. This cannot be 
presented as a double-sided document, please make sure to print and prepare as a one-sided 
packet.  Should an extension for time to complete the Inventory be necessary, the form can be found 
on the County’s website. Please make a copy of this prior to sending into the office, as you’ll 
need some of this information for the Accounting portion of the probate packet. If there is Real 
Property involved in the Estate, you would need to keep a copy for your records to show ownership 
of the property if you’re an entitled beneficiary to the Estate. 

                                  FRONT PAGE 
1.  DECEDENT’S FULL NAME: Person who passed away and name of the Estate.  
2.  RESIDENCE AT TIME OF DEATH: Address of Decedent – per Death Certificate.  
3.  DECEDENT’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: Located on Death Certificate. 
4.  DATE OF DEATH: Month, Day, and Year. 
5.  TESTATE: Died with a Will.   INTESTATE: Died without a will. Please specify which one applies. 
6.  DATE LETTERS GRANTED: Day, month, and year estate was probated. (Opening Appointment)  
7.  COUNTY: Sussex 
8.  NAME OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Full name of person probating the estate. 
9.  ADDRESS OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE:      Complete address of person probating the estate. 
    The next lines for Name of Personal Representative and Address of Personal Representative are used 
    only if there is more than one Personal Representative. If not, leave it blank. 
10. NAME AND ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY, IF ANY:     Name and address of the Attorney filing on your 
    behalf.  If you’ve opened the Estate yourself, write in “Pro Se”. This does not apply to Attorney’s 
    representing you in Real Estate matters or Litigation.  
 

               SCHEDULE A – SOLELY HELD REAL ESTATE 
 
 Complete this section only if real estate was solely held in the Decedent’s name. If there was none, enter 
 “none” in the Description column, enter Decedent’s full name at the bottom of the page and proceed to the 
 next page. This will be used to update the County’s Assessment records to show who’s entitled to receive the 
 property, so please write clearly and cleanly. If additional schedule A’s are needed to list multiple pieces of 
 property or a multitude of entitled beneficiaries, please let the office know, we will provide them to you with 
 additional instructions.  

  1.  ITEM NO: List property by Item number, starting with Tax Map and Parcel Number as provided to you 
      by the Deputy at your opening appointment.  

  2.  DESCRIPTION: 
      a.  Provide identifying information to the property such as an address.  
      b.  Enter person(s) full name/relationship to deceased, complete address(es) of those who are 
          entitled to receive the  property  and their share. If there is a Will, you’ll be listing entitled 
          beneficiaries at the direction of a Will. If there is no Will, you’ll reference Delaware’s laws on 
          Intestate Succession on how property passes to next of kin.  
      c.  Enter the fair market value of the real estate. (Obtain an appraisal or realtor comparable.) 

  3.  VALUE AT DATE OF DEATH: A value as close as possible to the date of passing that represents a fair 
      market value for the property.  
  4.  TOTAL:  Sum of all items listed. 
  5.  BOX:  Enter name, complete address and phone number for the person to receive the County’s Tax bill.  
  6.  ESTATE: Decedent’s full name to be written at bottom of page. 
  
     Example of property passing with a Will. Decedent had two children entitled to the property.  
      

   Example of property passing with no Will and property subject to Intestate Succession. Decedent 
   had a spouse entitled to a life estate, with a child entitled to the future interest of the property. 
    
   Example of property passing to next of kin without a Will. Property would pass to next of kin in equal 
 shares.  
                        
 Example of property that was directed to be sold in the Will. Also applies if the property was for sale 
 prior to passing. You would not list individuals to be entitled to property, just that the property is 
 directed to be sold.  
 

                                   SCHEDULE B – JOINTLY OWNED ASSETS                            
                                                                       
                     1.  If there are jointly held items, check Yes. If no, check “No” and write in “None” and zero out the bottom”. 
                        To list the jointly held items, proceed with completing the following: 
                     2. A, B, & C: List name, relationship, and address of individuals who have joint ownership with the 
                        Decedent. 
                     3. ITEM NO: List number of items individually.  
                     4. DESCRIPTION: Examples: bank accounts (do not list account numbers), auto, mobile home, boat, 
                        trailer, land and home. If there is real property to be listed, please list by Tax Map and Parcel Number 
                        and an address. With each item, write “Joint With A, B or C” according to with whom the item is jointly 
                        held with. 
                     5. FAIR MARKET VALUE: Value of items at time of death. 
                     6. TOTAL:   Sum of both subtotals. Total will be transferred to the Recapitulation page on the 
                        corresponding line. 
                     7. ESTATE: Decedent’s full name to be written at bottom of page. 
 
Example of Decedent passing with multiple Jointly Held Items, including Real Property.  
 

                 SCHEDULE C - BANK ACCOUNTS AND CASH 
Bank Accounts & Cash – Includes cash on hand, monies in the following accounts at date of death (include 
name of bank, type of account; but do not include account numbers): 
    a)  Checking 
    b)  Savings 
    c)  Money Market 
    d)  Certificates 
 
 1. ITEM NO: List number of items individually. 
 2. DESCRIPTION: Banks, credit unions, etc.  Do not list account numbers. This document is public record 
    and you would not want account numbers to be listed publicly.  
 3. FAIR MARKET VALUE: Balance at time of death. 
 4. TOTAL:   Sum of both subtotals. Total will be transferred to the  Recapitulation page  on the 
    corresponding line. 
 5. ESTATE: Decedent’s full name to be written at bottom of page. 
 
                        SCHEDULE D – STOCKS AND BONDS 
Complete only if stocks and bonds aresolely heldin the Decedent’s name. You do not   need to list anything if 
there is a Beneficiary attached to the item (an individual’s name is attached to the item). If there were none, 
enter “none” in the Description area and proceed to next page. 
  
 1   ITEM NO:  List number of items individually. 
 2. DESCRIPTION:  Enter all stocks and bonds. 
 3. FAIR MARKET VALUE: Balance at time of death. 
 4. TOTAL:   Sum of both subtotals. Total will be transferred to the Recapitulation page on the 
    corresponding line. 
 5. ESTATE: Decedent’s full name to be written at bottom of page. 
 
                 SCHEDULE E – MISCELLANEOUS PROPERTY 
Include any item(s) not listed on previous pages that are solely owned or payable to the Estate. Example: 
automobile(s),  mobile  home(s),  refunds  or  rebates,  life  insurance  (list  only  if  in  Decedent’s  name), auto 
insurance refunds, household goods and contents. You may group items, unless they are of great value, such 
as antiques, etc., in which case they should be listed individually. You do not need to list any assets that have 
a beneficiary attached to the item or are payable or transferrable upon death. 
 
 1. ITEM NO: List number of items individually when they are of great value. 
 2. DESCRIPTION: Automobile(s) and mobile home(s) include make/model/year, refunds include name of 
    company, household goods may be listed as one-line item.  Antiques, coin collections, anything of great 
    value must be listed individually. 

 3. FAIR MARKET VALUE: Value of items at time of death. 
 4. TOTAL:  Sum of both subtotals. Total to be transferred to the Recapitulation page on the corresponding 
    line. 
 5. ESTATE: Decedent’s full name to be written at bottom of page. 
 

                             RECAPITULATION 
 
 1.  Transfer the totals from the bottom of each page to the corresponding line. Lines may not be left blank, 
    they must either contain the value from that schedule, or a zero if there are no assets listed in that 
    schedule.  
 2.  Total of Non-Probate Assets - Sum of A & B.  
 3.  Total of Probate Assets – Sum of C, D and E.  
 4. Retain a copy of this Inventory for your records, as you will need these figures for the 
    Accounting.   
 
    OATH OR AFFIRMATION OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE 
On the first line, print the Personal Representative’s name. On the second line, print the Decedent’s name. 
In the presence of a Notary,  you’ll sign the line above “Personal Representative”.  If there  are multiple 
Personal Representatives, both will be required to be present to sign before the Notary, or two recapitulations 
will be required to be completed.  This document can not be recorded without this page being signed before 
a Notary.  
 
 Resources  
Delaware’s Code on Intestate Succession: 
https://delcode.delaware.gov/title12/c005/index.html 
 
Sussex County’s Forms – Additional Inventory Forms or Extension Requests 
https://sussexcountyde.gov/register-will-forms