The Maine Probate Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate is filed using Form DE-405 (Rev. 07/01/19), the official “Probate Inventory” that every personal representative must complete to list, in one place, all property the decedent owned at death that is subject to administration. You file it with the county Probate Court or mail it to interested persons, and it must show each asset’s fair market value as of the date of death along with any encumbrance attached to it.
This single document is the financial backbone of the whole estate. It tells the heirs, the creditors, and the court exactly what the estate is worth, and an error here can delay distribution for months, expose you to personal liability, or even get you removed as the representative. Maine processes thousands of estates each year through its 16 county Probate Courts, and the inventory is the form filers most often get wrong because it mixes real estate, personal items, and bank accounts on one page with strict valuation rules.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 📋 How to fill out every line of Form DE-405, from real property to the net-estate math.
- 💵 How to set the correct “fair market value as of the date of death” for each asset.
- ⏳ The 3-month filing deadline under 18-C M.R.S. §3-706 and what happens if you miss it.
- 🏠 Which assets belong on the form and which non-probate assets you must leave off.
- ❓ Answers to the 14 questions personal representatives ask most about this form.
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
Form DE-405 is the Probate Inventory, the official Maine document that lists every asset owned by a decedent at death that passes through probate. The form’s full purpose is stated right at the top: “a true and correct inventory of all of the property owned by the Decedent at the time of the Decedent’s death and subject to administration in this Estate.” It groups assets into three categories — real property, tangible personal property, and intangible personal property — and ends with a calculation of the gross and net value of the estate.
The person who must file it is the personal representative, the individual the court formally appointed to settle the estate (older Maine law and many people still call this role the “executor” or “administrator”). The duty comes from 18-C M.R.S. §3-706, which says the representative must “prepare and file with the court or mail to all interested persons who request it” an inventory within three months of appointment. A special administrator and a successor who takes over after another representative already filed are excused from filing again.
You file the inventory with the County Probate Court, the same court that appointed you and issued your Letters of Authority. The form also ties in two related statutes: 18-C M.R.S. §3-707 covers the appraisers you may hire, and 18-C M.R.S. §3-708 covers the supplementary inventory you file if you find more property later. If you never file and an heir shows that property is missing, the law flips the burden onto you to prove the item should have been left off, which is a position no representative wants to be in.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Filling out DE-405 goes fast once your paperwork is in one folder, and it stalls badly when it is not. Gather every record that proves what the decedent owned and what each item was worth on the exact date of death, because the form demands date-of-death values, not today’s prices. The more proof you collect now, the easier it is to defend your numbers if an heir or creditor questions them later.
Pull these items together before you open the form:
- Your Letters of Authority and the docket number. The court assigned a docket number when it appointed you, and it goes at the top of the form; without it the clerk cannot match your filing to the case.
- The death certificate. This fixes the date of death, the single moment all your values must reflect.
- Deeds for any real estate. You need the book and page of the recorded deed, because the form asks you to include “book and page, if recorded.”
- Recent mortgage and lien statements. These show the encumbrances you must list, and missing one understates what the estate truly owes.
- Bank and credit-union statements. You need the bank name, account number, account type, and the balance on the date of death for each account.
- Brokerage and retirement account statements. These supply date-of-death values for stocks, bonds, and funds that are part of the probate estate.
- Vehicle titles and valuation printouts. A dated Kelley Blue Book or NADA printout supports the value you assign to each car, boat, or trailer.
- Appraisals for valuable items. Homes, jewelry, art, antiques, firearms, and business interests often need a professional appraisal to survive scrutiny.
- Beneficiary-designation paperwork. You need this to confirm which accounts pass outside probate so you can correctly leave them off the form.
- A list of debts owed to the decedent. The statute requires a schedule of credits — money others owe the estate — with the obligor’s name and amount.
If any item is missing, the consequence is concrete. No date-of-death statement means you guess at a balance, and a wrong balance throws off the gross-estate total that drives later accounting and fees. No appraisal on a high-value asset means an heir can challenge your number and force a re-do, which restarts the clock and the stress.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official, current version is Form DE-405, Probate Inventory (Rev. 07/01/19), and you should always confirm that revision date in the form’s footer before you file so you are not using an outdated copy. You can download it directly from the Maine Probate Courts forms page, which hosts the three-page PDF the courts accept statewide. Print it on plain white paper, or fill it on a computer and then print it, because the form needs an original signature.
Maine has a separate Probate Court in each of its 16 counties, and each county clerk’s office can also hand you a paper copy if you prefer to pick one up in person. The form itself is identical from county to county; only the county name you write in the top blank changes. If you are working with an attorney, the firm will usually generate the form through its own software, but the content matches the official PDF exactly.
Do not pull a blank inventory from a random template site, because those copies often lag behind the current revision and may use old field labels. The court can reject a filing that is not on the proper current form, and a rejection costs you days or weeks you may not have inside the three-month window. When in doubt, redownload the form from the official Maine Probate Courts site the day you plan to fill it out so you know the version is current.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Form DE-405 Line by Line
The form runs three pages: page one is real property, page two is personal property (tangible and intangible), and page three is the math, the appraiser disclosures, and the signature. Work top to bottom, fill the caption first, and do not skip the blank lines you do not need — just leave them empty. Below, every part of the form gets its own walkthrough so you know exactly what goes where.
Caption: County, Docket Number, and Estate Name
The form opens with three blanks at the top: the County Probate Court, the Docket No., and the Estate of line that names the decedent. In plain terms, this is the form telling the court which case the inventory belongs to.
To answer it, write the county where you were appointed in the first blank (for example, CUMBERLAND County Probate Court), copy the docket number exactly from your appointment papers, and write the decedent’s full legal name on the “Estate of” line as Estate of John A. Smith. Use the name the court used when it appointed you, in the same format.
A nuance: if the decedent used a different name on some assets, such as a maiden name on an old deed, still use the official estate name here and explain the name variation in the property description below. A common mistake is transposing a digit in the docket number, and the direct consequence is that the clerk cannot match your inventory to your file, so it sits unprocessed while the deadline runs. A misconception is that the caption is just a formality; in fact it is how the court routes your document, and a wrong county or docket can send the filing into limbo.
Section A: Real Property (Items 1–6)
Section A asks you to list every piece of real estate the decedent owned that is subject to probate, with a description, a value, and any encumbrance. In plain English, this is the land and buildings the estate must pass on.
For each parcel, write the property’s address and a short legal description in the “Property Description” column, and “Include book and page, if recorded, and nature of interest” exactly as the form instructs. Marcus Reed, settling his father’s estate, writes on line 1: “Single-family home, 14 Birch Lane, Bangor, ME; Penobscot Registry of Deeds Book 4821, Page 102; decedent owned 100% in fee simple.” In the Value column he enters the date-of-death fair market value, $285,000, and in the Encumbrances column he writes “Mortgage to Bangor Savings Bank, balance $112,300, Book 4990, Page 55.”
A key nuance is that you list the full value of the property in the Value column and the mortgage separately in the Encumbrances column — you never subtract the loan from the value here. A common mistake is netting the mortgage out of the value, which understates the gross estate and corrupts the page-three math, and the consequence is a wrong net-estate figure that can misstate fees and confuse heirs. A misconception is that jointly owned property with right of survivorship goes here; property that passes automatically to a co-owner is not subject to probate and should be left off entirely. At the bottom of Section A, total the Value column into “Gross Value of Real Property (lines 1-6)” and total the encumbrances into “Gross Value of Encumbrances.”
Section B: Tangible Personal Property (Items 7–17)
Section B is for tangible personal property — the physical things you can touch, like vehicles, furniture, jewelry, tools, and household goods. In plain words, this is the decedent’s stuff.
List each significant item or sensible group of items on its own line with a value, and you may lump low-value household goods together rather than listing every spoon. Marcus writes on line 7: “2018 Toyota RAV4, VIN ending 4471,” value $19,500; on line 8: “Household furniture and furnishings,” value $3,000; on line 9: “Man’s gold watch and wedding band,” value $1,200. Use date-of-death fair market value — what a willing buyer would pay a willing seller — not the original purchase price.
A nuance: keep separate any item with a lien, such as a financed car, and note the loan in the Encumbrances column on that line. A common mistake is valuing items at replacement or insurance cost instead of resale value, and the consequence is an inflated estate that can raise fees and trigger heir disputes. A misconception is that sentimental or low-value items can be ignored; everything subject to probate belongs on the inventory, even if you bundle the small things. Section B shares its column totals with Section C at the bottom of page two.
Section C: Intangible Personal Property (Items 18–25)
Section C covers intangible personal property — assets that represent value but have no physical form, such as bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and money owed to the decedent. In plain English, this is the paper-and-digital money.
The form is specific here: “For bank accounts, include name of bank, account number and type of account,” and for debts owed to the estate “include name of obligor and nature of obligation.” Marcus writes on line 18: “Checking account, Bangor Savings Bank, acct. ending 6650,” value $8,420; on line 19: “Brokerage account, Fidelity, acct. ending 2231 (stocks and funds),” value $46,750; on line 20: “Personal loan owed to decedent by James Reed, unsecured,” value $5,000. Each value is the balance or worth on the date of death.
A nuance involves the statute’s “schedule of credits”: money others owe the decedent must appear here with the obligor’s name and the nature of the debt, “exclusive of expenses and risk of settlement or collection,” which means you list the full amount due even if collecting it may be hard. A common mistake is including a payable-on-death or beneficiary-designated account, and the consequence is overstating the probate estate and listing money that never belonged in the inventory. A misconception is that you must show full account numbers; you show enough to identify the account, and clerks generally accept the last four digits to protect against identity theft. Total Sections B and C together into “Gross Value of Personal Property (lines 7-25)” and the matching encumbrances total at the bottom of page two.
Item 26: Calculation of Gross and Net Estate
Page three opens with the math block labeled “Calculation of Gross and Net Estate.” This is where the form adds your two property totals and subtracts your two encumbrance totals to reveal what the estate is really worth.
Fill it in the order printed: write the “Gross Value of Real Property” from page one, add the “Gross Value of Personal Property” from page two, and combine them into “Gross Value of Inventory.” Then subtract the “Gross Value of Real Property Encumbrances” and the “Gross Value of Personal Property Encumbrances” to reach the “Net Value of Inventory.” Marcus enters Gross Real Property $285,000, Gross Personal Property $83,870, Gross Inventory $368,870, minus encumbrances of $112,300 and $0, for a Net Value of Inventory of $256,570.
A nuance is that this is the only place encumbrances reduce a total, which is exactly why you kept values and loans in separate columns above. A common mistake is a simple arithmetic slip that makes the gross and net figures inconsistent with the pages behind them, and the consequence is a clerk’s rejection or an heir’s challenge. A misconception is that the net value here is the amount heirs receive; it is not, because debts, taxes, and administration expenses still come out before distribution. Double-check every addition and subtraction with a calculator before you sign.
Appraiser Disclosures (Items 26 and 27)
The bottom of page three has two disclosure lines about who valued the property. The first asks for the “Names and addresses of appraisers employed, if any, and number of item or items of property appraised,” and the second asks for the “Numbers of items of property appraised by Personal Representative.”
If you hired a professional under 18-C M.R.S. §3-707, write that appraiser’s name, address, and the item numbers they valued; Marcus writes “Coastal Appraisal LLC, 22 Main St., Bangor, ME — Item 1.” On the second line, list the item numbers you valued yourself, such as “Items 7–20.” The statute says the appraiser’s name and address “must be indicated on the inventory with the item or items appraised,” so this disclosure is not optional when you use one.
A nuance: you can value most ordinary assets yourself and reserve appraisers for items “subject to reasonable doubt,” like a unique home or a business interest. A common mistake is hiring an appraiser but failing to name them here, and the consequence is an incomplete inventory that an heir can attack as unsupported. A misconception is that every asset needs a paid appraiser; the form expressly allows the representative to appraise property, and over-hiring just drains the estate.
Date and Signature Block
The form ends with a “Dated:” line and a signature line for the Personal Representative, followed by an optional block for the attorney’s name, address, phone, Maine Bar Number, and email. This is your sworn statement that the inventory is true and correct.
Write the date you sign in the “Dated:” blank and sign on the Personal Representative line exactly as you are named in your appointment papers. If a lawyer represents you, the attorney completes the block below with their bar number; if you are filing on your own, you leave that block blank. Marcus signs “Marcus T. Reed,” dates it 06/05/2026, and leaves the attorney block empty because he is filing pro se.
A nuance is that if there are co-personal representatives, each one signs. A common mistake is filing an unsigned inventory, and the consequence is an automatic rejection because an unsigned form is not a valid filing. A misconception is that the signature is a casual formality; by signing you are certifying the inventory is “true and correct,” and a knowingly false inventory can expose you to liability and removal.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
The three fact patterns below show how different estates flow onto the same form. Each follows one personal representative through the key sections so you can see what real entries look like.
Scenario 1 — Linda, a small estate with no real estate. Linda is settling her late aunt’s modest estate, which has only a bank account and a car.
| Form Section | What Linda Enters |
|---|---|
| County / Docket / Estate of | YORK County Probate Court; Docket 2026-0412; Estate of Ruth E. Carver |
| Section A — Real Property | None (left blank) |
| Gross Value of Real Property | $0 |
| Item 7 — Tangible | 2015 Honda Civic, VIN ending 8830 — $11,200 |
| Item 8 — Tangible | Household furniture and personal effects — $1,500 |
| Item 18 — Intangible | Savings account, Kennebunk Savings, acct. ending 4410 — $14,860 |
| Gross Value of Personal Property | $27,560 |
| Item 26 — Net Value of Inventory | $27,560 (no encumbrances) |
| Signature | Linda M. Carver, dated 04/18/2026, attorney block blank |
Scenario 2 — Marcus, a mid-size estate with a house. Marcus is settling his father’s estate, which includes a mortgaged home and an investment account.
| Form Section | What Marcus Enters |
|---|---|
| County / Docket / Estate of | PENOBSCOT County Probate Court; Docket 2026-0337; Estate of John A. Reed |
| Item 1 — Real Property | Home, 14 Birch Lane, Bangor; Book 4821, Page 102; fee simple — $285,000 |
| Item 1 — Encumbrance | Mortgage, Bangor Savings Bank — $112,300 |
| Item 7 — Tangible | 2018 Toyota RAV4 — $19,500 |
| Item 18 — Intangible | Checking, Bangor Savings, acct. ending 6650 — $8,420 |
| Item 19 — Intangible | Brokerage, Fidelity, acct. ending 2231 — $46,750 |
| Gross Value of Inventory | $368,870 |
| Item 26 — Net Value of Inventory | $256,570 |
| Signature | Marcus T. Reed, dated 06/05/2026, filing pro se |
Scenario 3 — Priya, a complex estate with a business and a later-found asset. Priya is settling a large estate with real estate, a business interest, and brokerage accounts, and she later discovers a forgotten account.
| Form Section | What Priya Enters |
|---|---|
| County / Docket / Estate of | CUMBERLAND County Probate Court; Docket 2026-0901; Estate of Anil R. Mehta |
| Item 1 — Real Property | Commercial building, 8 Wharf St., Portland; Book 36210, Page 14 — $620,000 |
| Item 1 — Encumbrance | Commercial mortgage, KeyBank — $240,000 |
| Item 7 — Tangible | 2021 Lexus RX, plus tools and equipment — $41,000 |
| Item 18 — Intangible | Brokerage, Charles Schwab, acct. ending 7702 — $310,500 |
| Item 19 — Intangible | 50% membership interest in Mehta Imports LLC — $185,000 (appraised) |
| Item 26 — Appraiser line | Casco Bay Valuation, 5 Free St., Portland — Item 19 |
| Net Value of Inventory | $916,500 |
| Later-found asset | Files a Supplementary Inventory (DE-408) under §3-708 for a $9,300 credit union account found after filing |
How to File the Completed Form
Maine gives you two paths under 18-C M.R.S. §3-706: you can file the inventory with the County Probate Court, or you can mail it to all interested persons who request it. Most representatives file with the court because it creates a clean record and satisfies anyone who later asks to see it; if you choose the mailing route, you may still file a copy with the court as well. Whichever path you pick, keep proof of what you sent and when.
If you file with the court, deliver the signed original to the clerk of the County Probate Court that appointed you, either in person at the courthouse or by mail to that court’s address, which you can confirm on the Maine Probate Courts website. There is no separate statewide “inventory fee” charged just to file the inventory itself, but always confirm current local fees with your county clerk before you send it, because counties handle costs differently. Acceptable payment for any court fee is typically cash, check, or money order made out to the court; call ahead to confirm what your county accepts.
For the mailing route, send the inventory by a method you can track to each interested person who requested it, and save the certified-mail receipts or delivery confirmations. Processing on the court side is largely a docketing step rather than an approval, so the practical “proof of filing” you keep is your date-stamped copy or your mailing receipts. Whatever you do, retain a complete copy of the filed inventory in your estate file, because you will reference its figures again when you prepare the estate accounting.
What Happens After You File
Once the inventory is on file or mailed, it becomes the official baseline for the estate’s value. Interested persons — heirs, devisees, and certain creditors — can review it to confirm the estate holds what they expected, and under 18-C M.R.S. §3-706 you must furnish a copy to any interested person who requests it. The court does not usually “approve” or sign off on an inventory; it records it and uses it as the reference point for the rest of administration.
If you discover more property after filing, or learn that a value you reported was wrong, you do not edit the old form. Instead, 18-C M.R.S. §3-708 requires you to “make a supplementary inventory or appraisement” showing the market value of the newly found or corrected property as of the date of death, filed on Form DE-408. This keeps the record honest and protects you, because it shows you acted promptly when new facts appeared.
The inventory’s figures then feed the next stages of probate: paying valid debts and taxes, and eventually preparing the estate accounting (Form DE-406) that reconciles what came in and what went out. An heir who believes assets are missing can use the inventory as the starting point, and if you failed to file at all, §3-706 shifts the burden onto you to prove a missing item belonged off the list. Treating the inventory as a living, accurate record — supplemented when needed — is the surest way to keep administration on track.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Including non-probate assets. Listing joint-with-survivorship or payable-on-death accounts inflates the estate and reports property that never passes through probate.
- Netting the mortgage out of the value. Subtracting the loan from the property value corrupts the page-three math and understates the gross estate.
- Using today’s value instead of date-of-death value. The form demands fair market value “as of the date of the decedent’s death,” and current prices produce wrong numbers.
- Valuing items at replacement cost. Insurance or replacement figures overstate worth; the standard is what a willing buyer would pay.
- Leaving the docket number blank or wrong. The clerk cannot match your inventory to the case, so it sits unprocessed while the deadline runs.
- Forgetting the schedule of credits. Omitting money owed to the decedent leaves required assets off the inventory.
- Naming an appraiser but not disclosing them. Section 26 requires the appraiser’s name, address, and item numbers, and skipping it makes the inventory incomplete.
- Filing an unsigned form. An unsigned inventory is not a valid filing and will be rejected outright.
- Editing the original after finding new property. You must file a supplementary inventory under §3-708, not alter the filed form.
- Missing the three-month deadline. Filing late under §3-706 can prompt the court to compel filing, order costs, or remove you.
- Hiding behind full account numbers. Listing full numbers risks identity theft when the last four digits suffice to identify the account.
- Arithmetic errors in Item 26. A miscalculated gross or net value triggers rejection or heir challenges.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Do use date-of-death values, because the statute and the form both fix value to that exact day.
- Do list each asset’s value and encumbrance in separate columns, because only Item 26 subtracts the two.
- Do keep proof of filing or mailing, because you may need to show you met the deadline.
- Do hire an appraiser for doubtful, high-value assets, because §3-707 lets you and a solid number resists challenge.
- Do file a supplementary inventory when you find more property, because §3-708 requires it and it protects you.
- Do confirm the form’s 07/01/19 revision date, because courts can reject an outdated version.
Don’t:
- Don’t include non-probate assets, because they distort the estate value and confuse heirs.
- Don’t guess at values you can document, because a wrong number can be challenged and force a re-do.
- Don’t miss the three-month window, because lateness can lead to removal.
- Don’t file without signing and dating, because an unsigned form is invalid.
- Don’t show full account numbers, because partial numbers protect against fraud.
- Don’t alter the original after filing, because corrections go on a supplementary inventory.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
| Filing Pro Se (On Your Own) | Filing With an Attorney |
|---|---|
| Saves money, because you avoid legal fees on a relatively simple form. | Costs more, but the fee buys accuracy and peace of mind. |
| Gives you full control over timing and how you describe assets. | Reduces your time burden, because the firm prepares and files for you. |
| Builds your understanding of the estate, which helps with later accounting. | Brings expertise on tricky valuations like business interests or contested property. |
| Works well for small, clean estates with a car and a bank account. | Lowers your personal-liability risk, because a professional catches classification errors. |
| Avoids waiting on a busy lawyer’s schedule. | Handles supplementary inventories and disputes if new property or conflict appears. |
| Risk: a misclassified asset can cost more than the fee you saved. | Risk: routine estates may not justify the expense. |
How DE-405 Relates to Other Maine Probate Forms
| Form | Role in the Estate |
|---|---|
| DE-405 Probate Inventory | Lists all probate assets and values at date of death. |
| DE-408 Supplementary Inventory | Adds or corrects property found after the first inventory, under §3-708. |
| DE-406 Probate Accounting | Reconciles money in and out, building on the inventory’s totals. |
| N-115 Notice of Appointment | Tells heirs and devisees you were appointed and must inventory the estate. |
FAQs
Do I include my mother’s joint bank account on the inventory?
No. A true joint account with right of survivorship passes directly to the surviving co-owner and is not subject to probate, so it stays off Form DE-405 entirely.
Do I list the home’s value before or after subtracting the mortgage?
No, you never subtract it on the property line. Enter the full fair market value in the Value column and the mortgage separately in the Encumbrances column; subtraction happens only in Item 26.
Do I have to file the inventory within a certain time?
Yes. Under 18-C M.R.S. §3-706 you must file with the court or mail it to interested persons who request it within three months of your appointment.
Do I write the full bank account number in Section C?
No. The form needs enough to identify the account, and clerks generally accept the last four digits with the bank name and account type to guard against identity theft.
Do I need to hire a professional appraiser?
No, not for everything. You may value ordinary assets yourself and reserve appraisers, under §3-707, for high-value items “subject to reasonable doubt” like a unique home or a business.
Do payable-on-death and beneficiary accounts go on the form?
No. Assets with a valid beneficiary designation pass outside probate and are excluded; listing them overstates the estate and reports property the inventory should not cover.
Do I report money other people owe the decedent?
Yes. The statute requires a schedule of credits, so list each debt owed to the estate in Section C with the obligor’s name, the nature of the obligation, and the full amount due.
Do I use the value on the date of death or the date I file?
Yes, the date of death. The form requires fair market value “as of the date of the decedent’s death,” so a filing-day or current value would be wrong.
Do I name the appraiser on the form if I hired one?
Yes. Section 26 and §3-707 require the appraiser’s name, address, and the item numbers they valued to appear on the inventory itself.
Do I correct the inventory if I find more property later?
No, not by editing it. File a Supplementary Inventory (Form DE-408) under §3-708 showing the new property’s date-of-death value, which keeps the record accurate and protects you.
Do co-personal representatives each sign the inventory?
Yes. When the court appoints more than one representative, each one must sign and date the form, because each is certifying it is true and correct.
Do I owe a fee just to file the inventory?
No, there is generally no separate statewide inventory-filing fee, but confirm current costs with your County Probate Court clerk because counties handle local fees differently.
Do I leave the attorney block blank if I have no lawyer?
Yes. The attorney name, address, phone, and Maine Bar Number block is only for a lawyer representing you; a pro se filer leaves it empty.
Do I file the inventory in the same county that appointed me?
Yes. You file with the County Probate Court that issued your Letters of Authority, and the county name you wrote in the form’s caption must match that court.
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