The Indiana Inventory and Appraisement is the sworn list of everything a deceased person owned, with each item’s fair-market value as of the date of death, that a personal representative files with the probate court. It is the financial backbone of an Indiana estate, and the court, the heirs, and the creditors all rely on the numbers you write on it.
Most Indiana counties use a version modeled on the Allen County Inventory form, revision date 08/2015, because Indiana has no single statewide inventory document. The duty to prepare it comes from the state probate inventory statute, IC 29-1-12, and the same form serves personal representatives, guardians, and trustees. Indiana probate courts handle tens of thousands of estate filings each year, and one of the most common reasons an estate stalls is an inventory with totals that do not add up or that lists property the estate does not actually own.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 📋 What the Inventory and Appraisement is, who must file it, and the statute that demands it
- 🗂️ Every document and number to gather before you open the form
- ✍️ A line-by-line walkthrough of each asset category, the affirmation, and the appraiser block
- 👨👩👧 Three real filled-out scenarios that follow named filers from start to finish
- ⚖️ The field-level mistakes that get inventories rejected and how to dodge them
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
The Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate is a court document that reports every probate asset a decedent owned and assigns each one a fair-market value measured as of the date of the decedent’s death. The form groups property into categories such as real property, furniture and household goods, corporate stock, and bank accounts, then totals everything in a Recapitulation. The court receives it, the heirs read it, and creditors use it to judge whether the estate can pay their claims.
The person who must prepare it is the personal representative, the umbrella term Indiana uses for both an executor (named in a will) and an administrator (appointed when there is no will). The duty flows from IC 29-1-12-1, which directs the representative to prepare a written inventory of all property and classify it. Guardians of a protected person’s estate and certain trustees use the same form, which is why the heading offers the bracketed choices [personal representative] [guardian] [trustee].
A plain-English read of the statute is simple: if you are in charge of someone else’s estate, you owe the court an honest, complete list. The consequence of ignoring it is severe, because a representative who fails to inventory assets can be removed, surcharged for losses, or sued. Picture James, an administrator who never filed an inventory and quietly sold his late father’s truck. When an heir complained, the court ordered James to account for every dollar and personally repay the difference. A common misconception is that an inventory is optional in informal estates, but the duty to prepare it exists even when you never hand the original to the court.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Filling out the inventory goes fast once your paperwork is in one place, and it stalls badly when it is not. Gather these items before you open the form:
- The decedent’s death certificate, because the date of death sets the valuation date for every asset and the court rejects values pulled from a random later date.
- The letters testamentary or letters of administration, since the cause number and your appointment date belong on the form and prove you have authority.
- Real estate deeds and the latest property tax assessment, because you must give a plat or survey description and a defensible value for any home or land.
- Bank and credit union statements dated nearest the date of death, since those balances become your bank-account figures and missing one understates the estate.
- Brokerage and stock account statements, because corporate stock must show par value, class, and dividend rate if preferred, and you need the date-of-death price.
- Vehicle titles and current valuation printouts, since cars, boats, and trailers are personal property the heirs expect to see listed.
- Promissory notes, mortgages held by the decedent, and loan paperwork, because money owed to the decedent is an asset, and leaving it out shrinks the estate on paper.
- Life insurance policy declarations, but only those payable to the estate itself, because policies with a named living beneficiary are not probate assets and must not be listed.
- A recent appraisal or appraiser contact for any hard-to-value item such as a business interest, antiques, or farmland, since the form has a sworn appraiser block for exactly these.
If a document is missing, the matching figure on the inventory becomes a guess, and guesses invite objections from heirs and creditors. Take Maria, a personal representative who could not find her mother’s second bank statement and left that account off; a sibling produced the statement months later and forced an amended inventory. Pull every statement first so you only fill the form out once.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
Indiana does not publish one universal statewide inventory, so the practical source is your county probate court’s forms page or the widely used Allen County probate forms library, which hosts the 08/2015 Inventory. Many other counties accept a form built on this same layout, and an attorney’s probate software produces a nearly identical document. Always confirm with your own county clerk that the version you have is accepted before you file.
The form arrives as a fillable or printable PDF. You can type into it on a computer, which keeps the numbers legible, or print it and write by hand in black ink if you file on paper. Either way, you sign it under penalty of perjury, so a clean, readable copy protects you if a figure is ever questioned.
Most Indiana courts now require electronic filing through the state portal at efile.courts.in.gov, often called IEFS. You upload the completed PDF into your existing estate case using the cause number from your letters. A common misconception is that you must mail a paper inventory to the judge; in reality the e-filing system routes it to the court and the clerk automatically. The consequence of using an outdated county form is a clerk rejection notice, which delays the estate and resets your timeline.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Indiana Inventory and Appraisement Line by Line
Work through the form top to bottom. Number every item consecutively, as the form instructs, and never skip a category even when its total is $0.00.
The Caption: Court, County, and Cause Number
The top of the form asks for the State of Indiana, the county, the court and division (for example, the Allen Superior Court, Probate Division), and a blank labeled CAUSE NUMBER. In plain English, this block tells the court which case the inventory belongs to. To answer it, copy the county, court name, and cause number exactly as they appear on your letters testamentary or letters of administration. Aisha, an administrator in Fort Wayne, writes the cause number 02D08-2605-EU-000147 in the cause-number blank.
The nuance here is the bracketed phrase IN RE: THE ___ OF, where you insert the type of estate, such as ESTATE or GUARDIANSHIP. A common mistake is inventing a new cause number or leaving it blank, which causes the clerk to reject the filing because it cannot be matched to a case. A frequent misconception is that the caption is just a formality; in truth, a wrong cause number can file your inventory into a stranger’s estate.
The Asset Acknowledgment and Role Selection
Below the caption, the form states that the listed assets are those that have come to the possession or knowledge of the [personal representative] [guardian] [trustee], along with their fair-market values, liens, and charges. This line defines who you are and what standard you are reporting under. To answer it, strike or select the bracketed role that matches your appointment, leaving [personal representative] if you are an executor or administrator.
For example, Marcus, a court-appointed guardian for his disabled brother, selects [guardian] and crosses out the other two roles. The nuance is the phrase possession or knowledge, which means you must list assets you know exist even if you have not yet taken physical control of them. A common mistake is listing only what is in your hands, which understates the estate; the consequence is a later amendment and possible questions about hidden assets. The misconception to drop is that you can omit an asset until you locate it, when the duty is to disclose what you know.
Real Property
The first asset category asks for REAL PROPERTY, with a note to give the plat or survey description and to designate any homestead as such, plus a Fair-Market Value column. In plain English, this is where every house, lot, farm, or piece of land the decedent owned goes. To answer it, list each parcel on its own numbered line using the legal description from the deed, mark the family home as homestead, and enter the date-of-death value in the value column.
Janet, settling her late husband’s estate, writes item 1, the legal description Lot 14, Brookside Addition, City of Carmel, marks it homestead, and enters $285,000. The nuance is that you use the legal description from the recorded deed, not the mailing address, because the address alone does not identify the parcel for the court. A common mistake is listing jointly owned property held with right of survivorship, which passes outside probate and does not belong here; the consequence is overstating the estate and triggering an objection. The misconception worth correcting is that a recent purchase price equals fair-market value, when the correct figure is the value on the date of death.
Furniture and Household Goods
This category captures the contents of the home, such as furniture, appliances, electronics, tools, and personal belongings, with a single subtotal labeled TOTAL. In plain English, it is the everyday stuff inside the house. To answer it, you may list significant items individually with values or group ordinary household goods into one reasonable lump figure, then enter the subtotal.
Aisha groups her mother’s furniture, kitchenware, and clothing and enters $3,500 as a single household-goods figure. The nuance is that valuable items, such as a coin collection or fine jewelry, should be broken out and may need an appraiser rather than buried in a lump sum. A common mistake is listing garage-sale or replacement prices instead of resale fair-market value, which inflates the estate and the bond. The misconception to drop is that sentimental items carry their emotional worth on the form, when only resale value counts.
Emblements and Annual Crops Raised by Labor
This category, labeled EMBLEMENTS AND ANNUAL CROPS RAISED BY LABOR, covers growing crops the decedent planted, such as corn or soybeans in the field, with its own TOTAL. In plain English, it is the value of planted crops that have not yet been harvested. To answer it, estimate the value of the standing crop tied to the decedent’s labor and enter it; most urban estates leave this at $0.00.
Marcus, handling a small farm estate, enters $12,000 for 40 acres of standing soybeans. The nuance is that this line applies to crops produced by yearly cultivation, not to natural growth like timber or pasture grass. A common mistake is skipping the line entirely instead of writing $0.00, which leaves the court unsure whether you considered it. The misconception is that all farmland income goes here, when only the annual crop in the ground belongs in this box.
Corporate Stock
The CORPORATE STOCK category asks you to give the par value, class, and dividend rate if the stock is preferred, with a TOTAL. In plain English, this is where shares of companies, mutual funds, and similar securities go. To answer it, list each holding with the company name, number of shares, class, and the date-of-death market value, then total them.
Janet enters 200 shares Eli Lilly common, $24,000 on one line. The nuance is that you value publicly traded shares at the closing price on the date of death, often the average of the high and low for that day. A common mistake is using the value on the day you fill out the form, which drifts from the legal valuation date and skews the estate. The misconception to drop is that stock in a retirement account with a named beneficiary belongs here, when a beneficiary-designated IRA or 401(k) usually passes outside probate.
Mortgages, Bonds, Notes, and Other Written Evidence of Debt
This category captures debts owed to the decedent, such as a mortgage the decedent held, bonds, or promissory notes, and asks for recording date, principal, dates of notes, credits, and the rate and start of interest. In plain English, it is money other people owe the estate. To answer it, describe each instrument with its principal balance, interest terms, and dates, then enter its value and total the category.
Marcus lists a promissory note from tenant, $8,000 principal, 5% interest, dated 03/01/2024. The nuance is that you report the unpaid balance as of the date of death, not the original loan amount, because partial payments reduce the asset. A common mistake is listing a debt the decedent owed here, which is a liability, not an asset, and belongs in claims against the estate. The misconception is that an uncollectible note has no place on the form, when you still list it and may note its doubtful value.
Bank Accounts, Money, and Insurance Payable to the Estate
This category, BANK ACCOUNTS, MONEY, INSURANCE PAYABLE TO ESTATE, covers checking, savings, certificates of deposit, cash on hand, and life insurance proceeds payable to the estate itself. In plain English, it is the liquid money of the estate. To answer it, list each account by institution and the last four digits, enter the balance on the date of death, add any estate-payable insurance, and total them.
Aisha lists Old National Bank checking #4821, $6,240 and PNC savings #1190, $14,500. The nuance is that only insurance payable to the estate goes here; a policy naming a living person as beneficiary is not a probate asset. A common mistake is listing a payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) account, which passes directly to the named beneficiary and skips probate. The misconception worth correcting is that joint accounts with a surviving owner belong here, when survivorship accounts usually pass outside the estate.
All Other Personal Property
The final asset category, ALL OTHER PERSONAL PROPERTY, is a catch-all that the form notes includes partnership interests and similar holdings, with a TOTAL. In plain English, it is everything of value that did not fit the earlier boxes, such as vehicles, business interests, royalties, and collectibles. To answer it, list each remaining asset with a short description and its date-of-death value, then total the category.
Janet enters 2019 Honda CR-V, $19,500 and 25% interest in Smith Family LLC, $40,000. The nuance is that a closely held business interest often needs the appraiser block, since its value is subject to reasonable doubt. A common mistake is forgetting titled vehicles because they feel personal rather than financial, which understates the estate. The misconception is that low-value items can be ignored, when the court still expects a complete picture even if some lines are modest.
The Recapitulation
The Recapitulation is a summary block that restates each personal-property category total, sums them into TOTAL FAIR-MARKET VALUE OF ABOVE PERSONAL PROPERTY, adds REAL PROPERTY, and produces the GRAND TOTAL FAIR-MARKET VALUE OF PERSONAL AND REAL PROPERTY. In plain English, it is the math that ties the whole inventory together. To answer it, copy each category subtotal into the matching line, add the personal-property lines, then add real property for the grand total.
Aisha’s recap shows household goods $3,500, bank accounts $20,740, other personal property $11,000, a personal-property total of $35,240, real property $0, and a grand total of $35,240. The nuance is that every subtotal in the recap must exactly match the subtotal in its asset section above. A common mistake is a transposed digit between a category total and the recap, which makes the grand total wrong and draws a clerk’s correction notice. The misconception is that the court will fix small math errors for you, when the representative is the one who signs that the figures are true.
The Appraiser Block
Below the recap, the form states that the representative employed disinterested appraisers to help find the fair-market value as of the date of the decedent’s death for assets whose value was subject to reasonable doubt, and it provides columns for the appraiser’s name, address, and the asset number appraised. In plain English, this is where you credit any professional who valued a hard-to-price item. To answer it, enter each appraiser’s full name, business address, and the item numbers they valued; if you used no appraiser, you may leave it blank or write N/A.
Marcus lists Wabash Valley Farm Appraisals, 110 Main St, Lafayette, IN, items 1 and 6 for his farmland and standing crop. The nuance is that the appraiser must be disinterested, meaning not an heir or someone who gains from a high or low value. A common mistake is using a relative or the buyer of the asset as the appraiser, which the court can reject as biased. The misconception is that you must appraise every asset, when appraisers are needed only for values subject to reasonable doubt, such as real estate, businesses, and unique items.
The Affirmation, Date, and Signature
The form closes with the line I affirm, under the penalties for perjury, that the foregoing representations are true, followed by a date blank and a signature line marked [Personal Representative][Guardian][Trustee]. In plain English, this is your sworn oath that the inventory is honest and complete. To answer it, write the date you sign in MM/DD/YYYY format, sign on the line, and select the bracketed role that matches your appointment.
Janet writes 06/05/2026, signs her name, and circles [Personal Representative]. The nuance is that the perjury affirmation replaces a notary in most counties, so your signature alone carries legal weight. A common mistake is signing before the figures are final, which locks in numbers you may have to amend. The misconception is that an affirmation is less serious than a notarized oath, when a false inventory can expose you to perjury and removal.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
These three scenarios follow named filers through the full form so you can see how different estates land on the same document.
Scenario 1 — Aisha, a simple estate (house already transferred, one bank, modest goods).
| Form Section | What Aisha Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption / Cause Number | 02D08-2605-EU-000147, Allen Superior Court, Probate Division |
| Role selected | [Personal Representative] |
| Real Property | None held in estate, $0.00 |
| Furniture and Household Goods | Grouped contents, $3,500 |
| Corporate Stock | $0.00 |
| Bank Accounts, Money | Old National checking $6,240; PNC savings $14,500 |
| All Other Personal Property | 2016 Toyota Camry, $11,000 |
| Appraiser Block | N/A |
| Recapitulation Grand Total | $35,240 |
| Affirmation | Signed and dated 06/05/2026 |
Scenario 2 — Janet, a larger estate (home, stock, business interest, needs an appraiser).
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption / Cause Number | 29D01-2604-EU-000302, Hamilton Superior Court |
| Role selected | [Personal Representative] |
| Real Property | Lot 14, Brookside Addition, homestead, $285,000 |
| Furniture and Household Goods | $9,000 |
| Corporate Stock | 200 shares Eli Lilly common, $24,000 |
| Bank Accounts, Money | Chase checking $18,300 |
| All Other Personal Property | 2019 Honda CR-V $19,500; 25% Smith Family LLC $40,000 |
| Appraiser Block | Hoosier Valuation LLC, items 1 and 7 |
| Recapitulation Grand Total | $395,800 |
| Affirmation | Signed and dated 06/05/2026 |
Scenario 3 — Marcus, a guardianship/farm estate using the same form.
| Form Section | What Marcus Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption / Cause Number | 79C01-2603-GU-000058, Tippecanoe Circuit Court |
| Role selected | [Guardian] |
| Real Property | 40 acres, Section 12, Wabash Township, $320,000 |
| Furniture and Household Goods | $2,200 |
| Emblements and Annual Crops | Standing soybeans, $12,000 |
| Mortgages, Bonds, Notes | Promissory note, $8,000 |
| Bank Accounts, Money | Lafayette Bank checking $4,750 |
| Appraiser Block | Wabash Valley Farm Appraisals, items 1 and 6 |
| Recapitulation Grand Total | $346,950 |
| Affirmation | Signed and dated 06/05/2026 |
How to File the Completed Form
Once the figures are final and you have signed, you file the inventory in the open estate case under its cause number. Indiana now relies on electronic filing for most attorneys and many self-represented filers.
- E-filing (the default channel). Register and upload the signed PDF through the state portal at efile.courts.in.gov, select your existing estate case, and choose the inventory document type. There is generally no separate fee to file an inventory in an open case, payment of any service fee is by credit card or e-check in the portal, processing is usually one to three business days for clerk acceptance, and your stamped acceptance email is your proof of filing.
- In person. Bring the signed original plus a copy to the county clerk’s office that issued your letters, for example the Allen County Clerk probate counter, hand it to the clerk, pay no inventory-specific fee in most counties, and ask the clerk to file-stamp your copy as proof.
- By mail. Mail the signed inventory to the county clerk handling the estate, include a self-addressed stamped envelope, send it with tracking so you can prove delivery, allow several business days for the clerk to docket it, and keep the returned file-stamped copy.
A key Indiana wrinkle comes from the statute’s note on the form: you must furnish a copy to interested persons who request it unless you have filed the original with the court, and you must keep a copy yourself. In an unsupervised estate, you may not file the inventory with the court at all, but you still prepare it and hand it to heirs and creditors on request.
What Happens After You File
After the clerk accepts your inventory, it becomes part of the public estate record, and the court, heirs, and creditors can review the values you reported. The estate’s bond, if one is required, is often set in proportion to the personal property listed, so a higher inventory can mean a larger bond. Creditors compare the grand total against their claims to judge whether the estate can pay them.
Interested persons who disagree with a value can object and ask the court to order a new appraisal, which is why a defensible date-of-death figure matters. If you discover an asset you missed or one you listed in error, you file a supplemental or amended inventory rather than editing the original. Take Maria, who found a forgotten savings account after filing; she filed a short supplement adding the account and updating the recap, and the estate moved forward without penalty. The inventory then guides the eventual accounting, where you show how each listed asset was managed, sold, or distributed.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Listing jointly owned survivorship property, which passes outside probate and overstates the estate, drawing an objection.
- Listing POD or TOD accounts, which belong to the named beneficiary and do not enter the inventory at all.
- Listing life insurance with a living named beneficiary, which is not a probate asset and inflates the grand total.
- Using a value from the filing date instead of the date of death, which makes every figure legally wrong.
- Transposing a digit between an asset subtotal and the Recapitulation, which produces a false grand total.
- Leaving a category blank instead of writing $0.00, which leaves the court unsure you considered it.
- Using the address instead of the legal description for real property, which fails to identify the parcel.
- Using a relative or interested party as the appraiser, which the court can reject as biased.
- Listing debts the decedent owed as assets, which confuses liabilities with property.
- Signing the affirmation before the numbers are final, which locks in figures you must later amend.
- Forgetting titled vehicles because they feel personal, which understates the estate and the bond.
- Failing to keep your own copy, which leaves you unable to respond to an heir’s request for the inventory.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
- Do value every asset as of the date of death, because that date is the legal benchmark the court enforces.
- Do number every item consecutively, because the form instructs it and appraisers reference items by number.
- Do break out valuable items like jewelry or collections, because lumping them hides value the heirs are owed.
- Do match every recap subtotal to its asset section, because a mismatch triggers a clerk correction notice.
- Do keep a personal copy and your supporting statements, because you may need to defend any figure later.
- Do file a supplement when you find a missed asset, because amending preserves your honesty before the court.
Don’ts
- Don’t list non-probate assets such as survivorship or POD accounts, because they never belong on the inventory.
- Don’t guess a value when an appraisal is available, because a documented figure withstands an objection.
- Don’t use an interested appraiser, because the court can throw out a biased valuation.
- Don’t sign before the math is final, because your signature is a sworn perjury affirmation.
- Don’t mix the decedent’s debts into the asset categories, because debts are claims, not property.
- Don’t skip a category, because writing $0.00 shows the court you reviewed it.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
| Filing Pro Se (On Your Own) | Filing With a Probate Attorney |
|---|---|
| Saves attorney fees, which preserves more of the estate for heirs. | Costs hourly or flat fees, which reduces the net estate. |
| Gives you full control over timing and details, since you know the assets best. | Hands off the work, which eases the burden during grief. |
| Builds your understanding of the estate, which helps with the later accounting. | Reduces error risk, because the attorney knows which assets are non-probate. |
| Works well for simple estates, where the categories are easy to complete. | Handles complex estates, such as businesses or contested values, with confidence. |
| Avoids scheduling delays, since you file when you are ready. | Manages e-filing and deadlines, which lowers the chance of a rejection. |
| Risks costly mistakes, because one misclassified asset can stall the estate. | Defends your valuations, which protects you if an heir objects. |
FAQs
Do I have to file the inventory with the court in every Indiana estate?
No. In an unsupervised estate you may not file the original with the court, but you must still prepare it and furnish a copy to interested persons who request it.
Do jointly owned survivorship accounts go on the inventory?
No. Accounts held with right of survivorship pass directly to the surviving owner outside probate, so they are not estate assets and do not belong on the form.
Do I list a payable-on-death account in the Bank Accounts box?
No. A POD or TOD account passes to the named beneficiary automatically, so it skips probate and is left off the inventory entirely.
Do I write a vehicle in the Bank Accounts category?
No. Titled vehicles belong in the ALL OTHER PERSONAL PROPERTY category, not in the bank-accounts box, which is for cash and account balances.
Do I value assets as of the filing date?
No. Every value must reflect the fair-market value as of the date of the decedent’s death, which is the legal valuation point the court enforces.
Do I need an appraiser for every asset?
No. Appraisers are only needed for values subject to reasonable doubt, such as real estate, business interests, and unique collectibles.
Do I put the property’s mailing address in the Real Property box?
No. You give the plat or survey legal description from the deed, and you designate the family home as homestead, because the address alone does not identify the parcel.
Do life insurance proceeds always go on the inventory?
No. Only insurance payable to the estate is listed; a policy naming a living beneficiary passes outside probate and is excluded.
Do I need a notary to sign the inventory?
No. The form uses an affirmation under penalty of perjury, so in most Indiana counties your signature alone makes it valid without a notary.
Do small or low-value items need to be listed?
Yes. The court expects a complete picture, so even modest items belong on the form, usually grouped into a reasonable household-goods total.
Do I file a new form if I find an asset I missed?
Yes. You file a supplemental or amended inventory that adds the asset and updates the Recapitulation rather than changing the original filing.
Do debts the decedent owed go in the asset categories?
No. Debts owed by the decedent are claims against the estate, not property, so they never appear in the inventory’s asset boxes.
Do I have to give a copy of the inventory to the heirs?
Yes. You must furnish a copy to interested persons who request it unless you filed the original with the court, and you must keep a copy yourself.
Do guardians and trustees use this same form?
Yes. The heading offers [personal representative] [guardian] [trustee], so the same document serves all three roles with the matching bracket selected.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out Illinois Inventory of Estate (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Kentucky Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate (Form AOC-841) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the Louisiana Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate (Sworn Detailed Descriptive List) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Nebraska Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the Oklahoma Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate (+ FAQs)
- How to Fill Out Idaho Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Arkansas Petition for Probate of Will (w/Examples) + FAQs