create_asset
Create a new asset in the estate. Use this when the user wants to add a bank account, property, vehicle, insurance policy, other asset, or a debt the estate owes. A same-named asset does NOT block creation (two accounts at the same institution are legitimate) — but if you created this exact asset moments ago, the tool returns the existing one instead of a duplicate. Use update_asset to change details of an existing asset. For eligible paid estates, adding an asset may start public-source research and add asset-specific tasks. Recent same-name assets may have empty fields filled instead of a duplicate being added. Repeating after the deduplication window may create another asset.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| notes | No | Additional notes about the asset (optional) | |
| estate_id | Yes | The estate to act on. Call list_my_estates first to get this id. | |
| asset_name | Yes | Name or description of the asset (e.g. 'Chase Checking Account', '123 Main St'). Never put an account number in the name — use account_number. | |
| asset_type | Yes | Type of asset (use plural form to match database schema). When the customer named the kind of asset, use that type; ask before choosing a different one. 'debts_liabilities' = money the estate OWES (mortgage, credit card, medical bill, unsecured claim on a court schedule) — record the outstanding balance as a positive estimated_value. It is tracked in the Assets & Debts tab as a liability and is never counted as estate inventory. | |
| jurisdiction | No | State where the asset is located (optional, for real estate or vehicles) | |
| account_number | No | Account or policy number (optional) | |
| customer_words | No | Required when marking a task completed or not_applicable, or setting bypasses_probate or has_beneficiary to true: the customer's own words stating that decision, quoted exactly from their message (e.g. "mark this not required", "I paid the filing fee", "it's payable on death to my brother"). Never your own conclusion. If they haven't stated the decision, don't call — ask them. | |
| estimated_value | No | Estimated value in dollars (optional) | |
| has_beneficiary | No | Whether the account or policy itself names a beneficiary (POD/TOD, life insurance, retirement). Not an heir of the estate. Set true only with the customer's words in customer_words — it leaves the asset out of the probate accounting (optional) | |
| beneficiary_name | No | Name of the beneficiary if known (optional) | |
| bypasses_probate | No | Whether this asset passes outside probate (e.g. POD/TOD accounts, joint tenancy with survivorship). Set true only when the customer has said it passes outside probate or named how (POD, TOD, joint with survivorship), with their words in customer_words. A mention of a "beneficiary" or a "joint" owner alone is not enough — ask how the asset is titled first. | |
| date_of_death_value | No | The asset's value at the date of death (the inventory value used for estate accounting and to compute gain/loss on sale). Set this at creation whenever you know it — for the decedent's own bank/investment accounts it is the balance at death, and it is what makes that balance flow into the Ledger's starting cash. If the user gives one figure for such an account and it is the date-of-death balance, set both this and estimated_value. | |
| asset_type_confirmed | No | true only after the customer agreed to a different category than the one they named (e.g. they said "investment account" and then agreed it should be a retirement account). Never set it on your own. |