Why Estate Administration Takes So Long (And What Can Be Done About It)

When someone dies, the administrative work begins immediately — and most families are surprised by the scale of it. The average estate involves notifying more than 30 separate institutions: federal agencies, banks, insurance companies, utility providers, and more. Each has its own process, its own required format, its own timeline. The result is months of calls, letters, and follow-up — typically managed by someone who is simultaneously grieving and settling practical affairs.

The core problem is structural. American administrative systems were designed before digital coordination was possible, and most institutions still operate in isolation. The Social Security Administration doesn't notify the IRS. The bank doesn't know to close an account. Each institution requires the family to supply the same information — name, Social Security number, date of death — individually, on paper, again and again. Sedare was built to address exactly this: extract the data once from the death certificate, and generate every notification letter in a single pass.