Announcement

Introducing the Sunset API

Sunset's new API lets integration partners programmatically manage estates, probate, documents, and communications at scale.

March 12, 2026

The estate settlement process involves dozens of institutions, hundreds of documents, and months of coordination. Until now, every step lived inside the Sunset platform. Today, we're opening that up.

The Sunset API brings the full power of Sunset's estate and probate management platform to your existing tools and workflows. Whether you're a law firm automating case intake, a financial advisor tracking estate accounts, or a software company embedding estate management into your product — the API gives you direct access.

What you can do with the API

Manage cases end-to-end. Create new estate cases, record deceased and executor details, run identity verifications, and track letters of authority — all through simple REST endpoints. A single API call can spin up a new case and begin the intake process that previously required manual data entry across multiple screens.

Monitor financials across every institution. Access bank accounts, credit cards, loans, investment accounts, and retirement funds tied to an estate. Track individual transactions, recurring payments, signers, and POD/TOD beneficiaries. Pull statements and monitor balance history over time to build a complete financial picture.

Navigate probate in all 50 states. Look up probate requirements for every state and county in the US. Track court filings, deadlines, creditor claims, and distributions. Access downloadable probate forms and monitor case progress against jurisdiction-specific timelines.

Automate communications with full audit trails. Place recorded phone calls with automatic transcription and AI-powered summarization. Send emails with document attachments and delivery tracking. Fax documents to courts and institutions. Initiate online notarization sessions — all with complete records for compliance.

Handle documents securely. Upload and manage death certificates, court filings, property reports, insurance policies, and more. Download and share documents across collaborators with role-based access control.

Track real estate, vehicles, businesses, and unclaimed property. Request automated property valuations with tax assessments, comparable sales, and equity estimates. Monitor vehicles, business ownership interests, and unclaimed property searches — giving executors and attorneys a unified view of every asset in the estate.

Example: Creating a case

Getting started is straightforward. Here's how you create a new estate case:

curl -X POST https://api.example.com/v1/cases \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer your_api_key" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{
      "estate_value": "under_75k",
      "progress": "just_started",
      "possible_dispute": "no_dispute_expected"
    }'

{
    "data": {
      "id": "01K5WF06MJ6T99HRYE78AN7XM8",
      "estate_value": "under_75k",
      "progress": "just_started",
      "possible_dispute": "no_dispute_expected",
      "created_at": "2026-03-12T10:30:00Z"
    }
  }

From there, you can add deceased and executor information, upload documents, initiate searches, and track the case through every stage of settlement.

Built for integration partners

The API follows a clean REST design with consistent JSON responses, page-based and cursor-based pagination, and Bearer token authentication. We've published full documentation — including endpoint references, error handling guides, and detailed guides for every major feature area — at api.hellosunset.com.

Get started

The Sunset API is available by invitation to qualified integration partners. If you're interested in building on Sunset, email [email protected] with your name, organization, and a brief description of your use case. Our team will follow up within a few business days with credentials and staging environment access.

HOW WE MAKE MONEY

We’re paid by banks, not families

Just like any bank, we make money from interest yielded while money sits in the estate bank account.

No out-of-pocket costs or fees

You never pay for anything out of pocket. Ever.

We make money on interest

No hidden costs. No surprise fees. No fine print.

You keep all your money

We never take a cut of your inheritance.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sunset?

Sunset is an estate settlement platform that helps families discover and close the financial accounts, assets, and debts of a deceased loved one.

Sunset Free is designed for family members, executors, and personal representatives who are settling an estate themselves. It includes the full Sunset closure suite: financial account discovery, bank notifications, assisted phone calls and emails, estate bank account setup, probate document generation, and asset transfers all at no cost.

Sunset Pro is designed for probate attorneys, licensed fiduciaries, trustees, and aftercare specialists who settle estates on behalf of their clients. Sunset Pro starts at $500 per asset search, with monthly subscription plans available for solo practitioners, small firms, and large firms.

Both Sunset Free and Sunset Pro are available in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

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Who can use Sunset?

Sunset can be used by family members, executors, administrators, and personal representatives responsible for settling a deceased person's estate.

Sunset supports asset discovery and probate across all 50 states and every U.S. county, helping you manage the estate regardless of where your loved one lived or where the estate is being settled.

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How does Sunset help settle an estate?

Sunset handles the most time-consuming parts of estate settlement.

We search 2,500+ financial institutions like banks and retirement funds, the credit bureaus, and state unclaimed-property databases to find accounts and assets the family may not know about. We prepare probate documents specific to your county in all 50 states and help establish an estate bank account where recovered funds can be deposited.

Then Sunset helps close the deceased person’s accounts and move the funds into the estate account, ready for distribution to the heirs.

With Sunset, about 90% of account closures can be completed without you having to call or visit a branch.

What does it mean to settle an estate?

Settling an estate means closing out someone’s financial life after they die.

It involves identifying what they owned and owed, obtaining the legal authority to act on their behalf, paying valid debts and final taxes, and transferring what remains to the people who inherit it.

Depending on the state and the size of the estate, it can be complicated or simple, either way Sunset can help.

What is required to settle an estate?

Most estates require a core set of documents and accounts, including a certified death certificate, legal authority to act for the estate, a federal EIN, an estate bank account, and an inventory of the estate’s assets and debts.

Sunset can help with all of these except the death certificate!

Depending on the circumstances, legal authority may come in the form of letters testamentary, letters of administration, or a small-estate affidavit.

Once that authority is established, the estate can begin notifying financial institutions, paying valid debts and final taxes, and distributing the remaining assets to the heirs or beneficiaries.

Sunset prepares the paperwork required for these steps and submits what we can on your behalf.

How much does Sunset cost?

‍Sunset Free is completely free for families settling an estate. There are no upfront fees, subscriptions, or deductions from the inheritance. Families get access to asset discovery, probate document generation, account closure, asset transfers, and estate bank account setup at no cost.

Sunset Pro is our paid product for probate attorneys, licensed fiduciaries, trustees, and aftercare specialists. It starts at $500 per asset search, with subscription plans available for solo practitioners, small firms, and large firms.

Sunset's family product is funded through our bank partnership. The estate does not pay Sunset, and all assets ultimately go to the estate's beneficiaries and heirs.

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How much does it usually cost to settle an estate?

The cost of settling an estate varies widely depending on its size, complexity, and where you live.

Hiring a probate attorney commonly costs $2,500 to $10,000, with more complex estates costing considerably more. In states with statutory probate fees, attorney fees may instead be calculated as a percentage of the estate. For example, a 3% to 7% fee on a $500,000 estate would be $15,000 to $35,000.

Sunset is free for families. There’s no fee, subscription, or percentage taken from the inheritance.

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Can you settle an estate without a lawyer?

‍Yes. In many cases, you can settle an estate without hiring a lawyer. Sunset helps families handle the process themselves by finding assets, preparing probate documents, closing financial accounts, establishing an estate bank account, and collecting the estate's assets.

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What about probate documents?

You can use our software to generate and sometimes file probate documents in every county nationwide.

Online notarization is also available through Sunset.

If your case is unusually complex, or disputed, we recommend hiring experienced probate counsel.

What is an estate bank account? Who controls it?

An estate bank account is a standard bank account in the estate’s name where all funds are consolidated. You can use it to pay expenses, view a full transaction history, and eventually distribute inheritance to beneficiaries.

With one click Sunset can set up an estate bank account.

You control the estate bank account. You can pay bills, taxes, and distribute the funds to heirs.

All estate bank accounts set up by Sunset are FDIC insured and protected from fraud and identity theft.

How can I pay estate expenses?

Once you have an estate bank account, you can use it to pay legitimate expenses related to settling your loved one's estate.

If you paid estate expenses out of your own pocket before the estate account was established, you may also be able to reimburse yourself from the estate, provided the expenses are legitimate and properly documented.

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Am I responsible for their debts?

No, the deceased was solely responsible for their debts. If a loan was backed by a physical asset, such as a home or vehicle, you have options to transfer or payoff from estate proceeds.

For a loan that was jointly held, the responsibility remains with the other person on the account, often a spouse. Sunset automatically identifies if a debt has a living responsible party, and clearly flags it.

What security measures does Sunset have?

Sunset is SOC 2 Type II certified and built with security and privacy at the center of how we handle sensitive estate information.

We use robust identity and fraud-prevention measures to verify deceased individuals and beneficiaries, and we conduct background checks on our employees. We continuously monitor and improve our security practices to protect the financial information, documents, and personal data entrusted to us.

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Will the financial institution be notified of a Sunset search?

No, we do not notify any financial institutions of the death when performing our searches, except for in the case of life insurance.

Our process combines document review, data integrations, and indirect verification with financial institutions. Families usually discover most accounts within 1 day, although some bank account confirmations take up to two weeks.

Financial institutions are only notified after a request for closure and transfer has been made by you.

Can Sunset help me settle an estate in my county or state?

‍Yes. Sunset works in all 50 states and all 3,000+ U.S. counties.

Sunset generates probate documents specific to the county where the estate is being settled and helps you complete the required steps. When notarization is required, online notarization is available where permitted.

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Can Sunset help my probate attorney?

Yes. Attorneys regularly recommend Sunset to their clients. Before your attorney can guide you on the right probate path, they need a complete picture of the estate's assets and debts. Sunset generates a comprehensive Estate Asset Inventory with account numbers, balances, and more, giving your attorney exactly what they need to move forward quickly.