For estate, probate and trust attorneys, executors and funeral directors
One line for the first week checklist: do not close the phone account yet.
When a decedent's phone account is closed, the carrier erases the voicemail greeting they recorded and later gives the number to someone new. An executor can close the account without knowing the greeting goes with it. Bourdon saves the greeting, sends the family the recording, and keeps the number connected for ten years.
Or email [email protected] and we will take it from there.
How it works
Three steps, with the recording delivered first
- 01
Check the number
The family, or you on their behalf, enters the number. We confirm whether the line is still active and can be kept. There is no payment to check.
- 02
We save the greeting
We call once and record the greeting. Within a day or two the family receives the master files: an MP3, an archival WAV and a transcript. They keep these even if the transfer fails.
- 03
The authorized signer signs, we move the number
We prepare the authorization for electronic signature and handle the carrier. The transfer usually takes five to fifteen business days. The number then plays the greeting for ten years, and messages are saved in a private family archive. With the family's written consent, we can send the estate's attorney a short note confirming the greeting is saved and the number is still connected.
Authority
Who signs, and what we ask for
An authorized representative signs
- The named executor or personal representative
- The court appointed administrator
- A successor trustee of a trust holding the decedent's assets
- The surviving spouse or registered domestic partner
- The next of kin with priority under state law
- An account holder of record on the phone account
- Someone with written authorization from any of the above
Documents
- A signed authorization, prepared by us for electronic signature
- A certified death certificate
- The most recent phone bill
- Identification from the signer
A ten day quiet period sits before every cutover so the family has room to agree. Before the number moves, the signer should remove it from any account that uses it for passcodes or sign in checks.
The full authority and representations are in section 3 of our Terms. Bourdon is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
Timing
The first 30 days, before the account is closed
No carrier publishes a firm rule. The greeting is erased the day the account is canceled, and phone accounts are often closed within weeks of a death. A short word from you early on can keep the option open.
If the account is already closed, the family can still ask us to check. If the greeting cannot be recovered, we say so plainly and nobody is charged.
Why it helps your clients
A small thing, handled at the right moment, that families remember
- Families keep a recording many of them did not know existed, delivered before any transfer is attempted
- The number does not pass to a stranger, so people who have not heard the news hear a familiar greeting instead
- One payment of $399 covers ten years, so there is no recurring bill for the estate to manage
- If the carrier will not release the number, the family is refunded in full and keeps the recording
- No AI, no voice cloning and no generated speech, which our terms forbid in writing
- For estate planning clients, a living person can arrange their own line and name a person, a law firm or a trustee as the only party we take instructions from later
Refer a family
Two simple ways
Send them to the number check
Share bourdon.io/#check. The family enters the number, and we reply with what we find and the next step.
Or introduce them by email
Write to [email protected] with the family's permission and we will take it from there, gently and at their pace.
We do not pay referral fees or offer discounts to referrers, so your recommendation stays independent.
Questions
What attorneys and executors ask
Is a phone number an estate asset?
A number is not owned outright by the person who used it, but how the account is handled in estate administration depends on the state and the carrier's terms. In practice it behaves like a digital asset with a short and unwritten expiration.
Who can sign for the family?
The named executor or personal representative, the court appointed administrator, a successor trustee, the surviving spouse or registered domestic partner, the next of kin with priority under state law, an account holder of record on the phone account, or someone holding written authorization from one of them. The signer confirms that authority in writing.
What documents are needed?
A signed authorization, a certified death certificate, the most recent phone bill, and identification from the signer. We prepare the authorization for electronic signature.
How soon should the family act?
In the first 30 days, and before the phone account is closed. No carrier publishes a firm rule, but the greeting is erased the day the account is canceled and phone accounts are often closed within weeks.
Do you pay referral fees?
No. We do not pay referral fees or offer discounts to referrers, so your recommendation stays independent.
Can a client arrange this in their estate plan?
Yes. A living client can record their own greeting, keep the files, and name one person or a company such as a law firm or trustee as the only party we take instructions from later.
If the phone is still on, there is still time.
Start with the number. Everything else waits until the family is ready.
Refer a family