Accouncement

Sunset Waivers: Helping Families Move Forward Together

Sunset now generates Affidavits of Kinship so families can formally agree on who manages the estate. Pre-filled, e-signed, and free.

April 1, 2026

When someone passes without a will, one of the hardest moments isn't just the grief — it's the conversation about what happens next. Who handles the bank accounts? Who talks to the institutions? Who takes responsibility for making sure everything is done right?

That conversation just got easier.


Introducing the Affidavit of Kinship and Designation of Estate Administrator

Sunset now generates a complete legal document that helps families formally agree on who will manage the estate. It's built directly into the platform, pre-filled with the information Sunset already knows about the deceased and their heirs.

The document covers everything a family needs to move forward together:

  • Kinship declaration — Identifies all living heirs and their relationship to the deceased
  • Administrator designation — Formally appoints one person to act on behalf of the entire family
  • Scope of authority — Clearly defines what the administrator can do: collect assets, pay debts, transfer titles, and represent the estate
  • Release of liability — Protects the person stepping up by documenting that the family agreed to the arrangement
  • Bond waiver — Removes the requirement for the administrator to post a costly bond, where state law allows

Why this matters

Without this document, families often hit a wall. Banks won't release funds without knowing who has authority. Courts need proof that heirs are aligned. And the person trying to do the right thing has no formal protection if something goes sideways.

This is especially common when there's no will. There's no named executor, no clear instructions — just a family trying to figure it out. The Affidavit of Kinship gives everyone a way to say: "We agree. We trust this person. Let's move forward."


How it works

  1. Sunset identifies the heirs from the information already in your case
  2. The document is generated automatically — pre-filled with the deceased's details, heir names, and relationships
  3. Every heir signs electronically — no printing, scanning, or mailing. Everyone signs from wherever they are.
  4. The signed document becomes part of your authority package — Sunset uses it when closing accounts and working with financial institutions on your behalf

Sign from anywhere with DocuSign

The entire signing process is powered by DocuSign. Each heir receives a link, reviews the document, and signs from their phone or computer in minutes. No notary appointment, no coordinating schedules, no waiting for paperwork in the mail. Whether your family is in the same city or spread across the country, everyone can sign on their own time.


One family, one document, one path forward

Estate settlement works best when everyone is on the same page. The Affidavit of Kinship isn't just paperwork — it's a family agreement. It gives structure to a difficult conversation and turns it into clear, documented authority that institutions recognize.

As always, Sunset is free. Waivers are available to all users today.

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

How quickly will I see results?

Most results come fast. Here's the general timeline after your account is validated:

  • Within hours: Creditors and debts, some bank accounts, property records (all 50 states), vehicle titles, and unclaimed property
  • 1–2 business days: Retirement accounts (401k, IRA, pension), investment accounts (brokerage, stocks, crypto), life insurance, and business ownership. Note: these searches don't run on weekends or bank holidays.
  • 7–14 days: Comprehensive bank account search with confirmed balances across all account types

Most families have 100% of assets discovered within 5–6 days.

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Who can use Sunset?

Any family member, executor, administrator or personal representative responsible for managing a deceased person’s assets can use our software tool. We support asset search and probate in all 50 states and every county in the U.S.

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 is an estate bank account? Who controls it?

A 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 back 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?

With your estate bank account you can use to pay expenses to settle your loved ones affairs. You can also reimburse yourself for expenses you may have paid out of pocket before the bank account was set up.

This includes paying for funeral expenses, accountants and attorneys if needed (most families do not need these services when working with us), realtor fees when selling property, money going towards settling debts, money spent fixing up a property before selling it, etc.

What security measures does Sunset have?

Sunset is SOC 2 Type II certified, and we hold ourselves to the highest standards in how we build our software and store data so that you’re always protected. We have in-depth fraud and identity verification measures on the deceased and the beneficiaries, and we run background checks on all employees.

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.

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.

Will 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.

How much does Sunset cost?

Sunset is free to use. Sunset never charges families or takes a percentage of the estate.

All of our tools are free, including search and discovery, probate document generation, asset transfer, and more. No upfront fees, subscriptions, and deductions from the inheritance.

Our bank partners pay us a referral fee, based on interest generated from estate bank accounts. That way, all the deceased’s assets go to the beneficiaries and heirs.