Ian Bryzek, CPA
Refundable deposits or retainers after death
Retainers and refundable deposits held by professionals or vendors should be inventoried as possible assets.
Request written balances from attorneys, contractors, and clubs. Apply or refund amounts only with authority.
Unclaimed retainers sometimes surface years later as small but real estate assets.
What to keep with the file
Unclaimed retainers sometimes surface years later as small but real estate assets.
What to do next
Ask each professional for a written retainer or deposit balance as of the date of death.
What to gather
- List of professionals holding deposits
- Balance confirmation letters
- Engagement letters describing retainers
- Refund or application records
- Authority to request refunds
Who usually handles what
- Ian can organize the tax reporting question and the supporting records.
- An estate attorney handles title, authority, trust interpretation, and beneficiary rights.
A practical next step
Ask each professional for a written retainer or deposit balance as of the date of death.
Questions about title, probate authority, trust meaning, or a beneficiary's legal rights belong with an estate attorney. Start with the Professionals directory: /professionals/
Related guides
This is general tax information, not tax or legal advice. Outcomes depend on the documents, ownership, timing, and law that apply to the particular facts.