update_estate
Destructive
Update high-level estate details that the user can correct after onboarding. Use this when the user mentions a fact that should be persisted (e.g. "actually there is a will", "the will is in the safe deposit box", "the case number is 2026-001234"). NOT for who the heirs are or what the estate owns — record a person with create_heir, an asset with create_asset, and when the user says the list is finished call mark_heirs_complete / mark_assets_complete. This is ALSO where you record the estate's OPERATING/checking account (the account the executor opens after death with the estate's EIN) — use estate_account_institution / estate_account_number, NOT create_asset. The operating account is not an estate asset. It is ALSO where you save the estate's IRS EIN (tax ID) — use the ein field, which is distinct from the court's case number (estate_number). Always confirm changes before calling. When changing deceased_state or deceased_county, follow the special jurisdiction-change flow described in the system prompt: explain that tasks are based on county of residence at time of death, confirm via suggest_actions, then after the update review and revise jurisdiction-affected tasks. Replaces supplied estate details. Resolving will status may remove the will-determination task and add succession tasks from local reference data.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| ein | No | The estate's IRS Employer Identification Number (tax ID), formatted like '12-3456789'. The executor gets it from the IRS after death to open the estate bank account and file the estate's tax return (Form 1041). Save it here whenever the user shares their estate's EIN. This is NOT the court's case / estate number (that's `estate_number`) — do not confuse the two. Empty string clears it. | |
| estate_id | Yes | The estate to act on. Call list_my_estates first to get this id. | |
| will_status | No | Whether the deceased left a will. Use 'present' if there IS a will (testate), 'none' if there is NO will (intestate), or 'unsure' if it hasn't been determined yet (e.g. the user is still looking for one). This is the ONLY field for the will answer. When it changes away from 'unsure', the task list reconciles automatically (the 'find the will' task is removed; if 'none', succession tasks are added). | |
| deceased_city | No | City of the deceased's last address. Empty string clears it. | |
| estate_number | No | The probate case / estate number the county court (register of wills / clerk) assigns once the estate is opened (e.g. '2026-001234', 'PR-2026-5678'). Save this whenever the user says the court issued their estate, case, or file number — county offices require it on filed documents and it's used to fill court forms. NEVER store the estate's IRS EIN / tax ID here (EINs look like '12-3456789') — it is a different number with its own field; use `ein` for that. Empty string clears it. | |
| executor_city | No | City of the executor's mailing address. Empty string clears it. | |
| executor_name | No | Name of the user managing the estate (the executor / personal representative). Empty string clears it. | |
| will_location | No | Where the will is stored (e.g. 'safe deposit box at Wells Fargo', 'with attorney Smith'). Empty string clears it. | |
| deceased_state | No | Two-letter US state code where the deceased lived at time of death (e.g. 'CA', 'NY'). Must be a valid US state. Changing state invalidates county — you must also provide deceased_county in the same call. | |
| executor_email | No | The executor's email address for court forms. Empty string clears it. | |
| executor_phone | No | The executor's phone number, as the user gives it. The Form Assistant pre-fills it on every form. Empty string clears it. | |
| executor_state | No | State of the executor's mailing address as a two-letter code (e.g. 'CA'). This is where the EXECUTOR lives — never change deceased_state for it. Empty string clears it. | |
| deceased_county | No | County where the deceased lived at time of death (e.g. 'Los Angeles', 'Cook'). Must be non-empty. Use the bare county name without the word 'County'. | |
| situation_notes | No | Durable, estate-level narrative context that has no structured field of its own — the will situation (e.g. 'has a handwritten will from 2017, executed in CA, validity unconfirmed'), a pending claim (e.g. a partner's CIR claim), family dynamics, or other facts you'll need to remember later in this or a future conversation. This field is shown back to you in your Estate Context every turn. IMPORTANT: it is a single curated summary, NOT an append log — read the current Estate Notes in your context, fold the new detail in, and pass the FULL revised text (you are replacing the whole field, so don't drop anything still relevant). Keep it concise (a few sentences). Do NOT use it for facts that belong on a specific heir, asset, task, or ledger entry — use those records. Empty string clears it. | |
| executor_capacity | No | The role the user is acting in, as the user states it: 'executor' (named in the will), 'administrator' (appointed by the court, no will), 'successor' (small-estate affidavit claimant) or 'petitioner' (has not been appointed yet). Only save what the user tells you — never pick one for them. Empty string clears it. | |
| executor_legal_name | No | The executor's full legal name exactly as it should appear on court filings (e.g. 'Lisa Marie Durjava'). The Form Assistant pre-fills it on every form. Distinct from executor_name, the informal name from onboarding. Empty string clears it. | |
| deceased_postal_code | No | ZIP code of the deceased's last address. Empty string clears it. | |
| executor_postal_code | No | ZIP code of the executor's mailing address. Empty string clears it. | |
| estate_account_number | No | The estate operating account's number, if the user provides it. Stored on the estate and masked in the UI. Empty string clears it. | |
| executor_relationship | No | Relationship of the user managing the estate to the deceased | |
| surviving_spouse_name | No | Name of the surviving spouse. Empty string clears it. To record THAT there is a surviving spouse, add them with create_heir (relationship 'spouse') — that is what makes the fact definite in your Estate Context. | |
| deceased_address_line1 | No | Street address where the deceased LIVED at the time of death, including any apartment or unit (e.g. '12 Oak St Apt 4'). Save it with deceased_city and deceased_postal_code in the same call. Its state is deceased_state — do not change deceased_state to save an address. Forms pre-fill it. Empty string clears it. | |
| deceased_date_of_birth | No | Date of birth as ISO date (e.g. 1945-03-12). Empty string clears it. | |
| deceased_date_of_death | No | Date of death as ISO date (e.g. 2026-01-15). Empty string clears it. | |
| executor_address_line1 | No | Street line of the executor's MAILING address (e.g. '7906 Joanna Court'). Save the whole address the user gives you in one call: executor_address_line1, executor_address_line2 (if any), executor_city, executor_state, executor_postal_code. The Form Assistant pre-fills it on every form. Empty string clears it. | |
| executor_address_line2 | No | Apartment, suite or unit of the executor's mailing address (e.g. 'Apt 4B'). Empty string clears it. | |
| deceased_marital_status | No | Marital status of the deceased at time of death | |
| estate_account_institution | No | Where the estate's OPERATING/checking account is held (the account opened after death with the estate's EIN) — e.g. 'Quorum FCU', 'PNC Bank'. This is reference info, NOT an asset; never use create_asset for it. Empty string clears it. |