Understanding Error Messages in Sunset

This guide explains the error messages you may encounter while using Sunset and how to resolve them.

"Please include the full legal name of the deceased" Enter the complete legal name as it appears on official documents like a death certificate or government ID. Include first, middle (if applicable), and last name. Financial institutions require an exact name match to locate accounts and release information, so accuracy here ensures we can find all accounts associated with your loved one.

"Phone number is required" / "Please provide a valid 10-digit US phone number" Enter a 10-digit US phone number without spaces, dashes, or country code (e.g., 5551234567). We use this phone number to contact you with important updates about discovered accounts and time-sensitive matters that require your attention. Having a reliable contact number ensures you never miss critical information about the estate.

"Please provide the date your loved one passed away" The date of death is essential for our account discovery process. Financial institutions use this date to verify records, and it determines which legal procedures apply to the estate settlement. Many institutions also require this date to freeze accounts and prevent unauthorized access.

"Date of death cannot be in the future" Check that you've entered the correct date. The date of death must be a past date. If you're seeing this error, you may have accidentally entered the wrong year or made a typo.

"Sunset can only help with deaths that occurred within the last 3 years" Our financial institution partners and credit bureaus maintain active records for approximately three years. After this period, account information may be archived or purged from searchable databases, making it significantly harder to locate assets. If your loved one passed away more than 3 years ago, we recommend consulting with a probate attorney who may have alternative methods for locating older accounts.

"Please provide a valid date of birth" Enter the deceased's birth date in the format shown (typically MM/DD/YYYY). Date of birth is one of the most reliable identifiers used by financial institutions to match account records. Combined with name and Social Security Number, it helps ensure we locate accounts belonging to your loved one specifically—not someone with a similar name.

"Please enter a valid SSN (XXX-XX-XXXX)" Social Security Numbers should be 9 digits in the format 123-45-6789. The SSN is the primary identifier used by financial institutions, credit bureaus, and government agencies. Providing an accurate SSN dramatically increases our ability to discover all accounts and ensures we're accessing the correct person's financial records.

"Please provide at least one additional piece of information (Date of Birth, SSN, Email, or Address)" We need at least one additional identifier beyond the name to accurately locate financial accounts. Names alone can match multiple people, leading to incomplete or inaccurate results. The more information you provide, the more comprehensive and accurate our search will be—helping ensure no accounts are missed.

"Full name is required" / "Please include your full name" Enter your complete legal name (first and last name at minimum). As the executor or administrator, your name will appear on official correspondence with financial institutions. Using your full legal name ensures these institutions can verify your identity and authority to act on behalf of the estate.

"Email is required" / "Please provide a valid email address" Enter a valid email address where you can receive updates about the estate settlement process. This will be your primary communication channel with Sunset. You'll receive notifications when new accounts are discovered, when institutions respond to our inquiries, and when action is needed from you. We recommend using an email you check regularly.

"Date of birth is required" / "You must be at least 18 years old" You must be 18 or older to use Sunset's services. This is a legal requirement—only adults can serve as executors or administrators of an estate and enter into binding agreements with financial institutions. Your date of birth also helps verify your identity and protect against fraud.

"You must agree to Sunset's terms to continue" Review and accept our Terms of Service to proceed. These terms outline your rights, our responsibilities, and how we'll work together throughout the estate settlement process. They also include important information about data privacy and how we protect sensitive information.

"Sunset cannot perform any services without these permissions" We require authorization to search for accounts and communicate with financial institutions on your behalf. Without these permissions, institutions cannot legally share account information with us. These permissions are limited to estate settlement activities and protect both you and the financial institutions involved.

"Social Security Number is required" The SSN is the universal identifier used by financial institutions and credit bureaus to locate account records. Without it, our search capabilities are significantly limited. The SSN is transmitted securely and used only for authorized estate settlement purposes.

"Full name is required" / "Please include the full legal name (first and last name)" Enter the name exactly as it appears on official documents. Financial institutions match records against legal names, so using nicknames or abbreviated versions may cause accounts to be missed. If your loved one used different names (maiden name, legal name change), you can add these as alternate names later.

"First name must be at least 2 characters" / "Last name must be at least 2 characters" Names must contain at least 2 characters each. This validation helps prevent typos and ensures we have enough information to conduct accurate searches. If the legal name is genuinely shorter than 2 characters, please contact support for assistance.

"Address is required" / "Please enter a complete address" Enter the full street address including number and street name. The deceased's address helps locate accounts at local banks, credit unions, and financial institutions that may have used address as a verification method. It's also required for many official estate documents and correspondence.

"City is required" / "Please enter a valid city name" Enter the city name without abbreviations. A complete, accurate address ensures that any mail correspondence reaches the correct location and helps us identify region-specific financial institutions your loved one may have used.

"State is required" / "Please use 2-letter state abbreviation (e.g., CA)" Use the standard two-letter state code (CA, NY, TX, etc.). The state determines which probate laws apply to the estate and helps us identify state-chartered banks and credit unions where accounts may exist. It's also required for formatting official documents correctly.

"ZIP code is required" / "Please enter a valid ZIP code (12345 or 12345-6789)" Enter either a 5-digit ZIP code or the full 9-digit ZIP+4 format. ZIP codes help pinpoint the geographic area for account searches and ensure mail delivery accuracy. Some financial institutions also use ZIP code as a security verification question.

"Relationship is required" Select your relationship to the deceased from the dropdown menu. Financial institutions need to understand your connection to the deceased to verify your legal standing. Different relationships may affect which documents you need to provide and what authority you have over certain accounts.

"Executor type is required" Indicate whether you are the executor (named in a will), administrator (appointed by the court), or another authorized representative. This distinction matters because it determines your legal authority and which documents financial institutions will require from you. Executors typically provide Letters Testamentary, while administrators provide Letters of Administration.

"Please select a complete address from the suggestions" Begin typing the property address and select from the autocomplete suggestions. This ensures the address is properly formatted and verified against official property records. A verified address helps us accurately identify the property and any associated financial obligations like mortgages, property taxes, or homeowner's insurance.

"Property type is required" Select the type of property (single-family home, condo, townhouse, etc.) from the available options. Different property types may have different ownership structures, HOA obligations, or transfer requirements. This information helps us identify all financial accounts and obligations associated with the property.

"Name is required" Enter the beneficiary's full legal name. Accurate beneficiary information is essential for proper distribution of assets. Financial institutions will verify beneficiary names against their records, so using legal names ensures smooth transfer of accounts and avoids delays.

"Relationship is required" Select how this person is related to the deceased. The relationship affects inheritance rights under state law, particularly if there's no will. It also helps financial institutions verify the legitimacy of beneficiary claims and may affect tax implications of inherited assets.

"Please specify if this person will inherit" Indicate whether this beneficiary is expected to receive assets from the estate. This helps us understand the distribution plan and ensure all necessary beneficiaries are properly documented. It also affects how we communicate with financial institutions about account transfers.

"Please specify the relationship when selecting 'Other'" If you selected "Other" as the relationship, provide a brief description (e.g., "family friend," "business partner," "caregiver"). This context helps establish the legitimacy of the beneficiary designation and may be required by financial institutions processing the estate.

"Please upload a PDF, JPG, or PNG file" We accept documents in PDF, JPG, or PNG format only. These formats preserve document quality and are universally accepted by financial institutions. If your document is in another format (such as HEIC from an iPhone), please convert it before uploading. Most phones have built-in options to save photos as JPG.

"File size must be less than 10MB" Files larger than 10MB can cause upload failures and processing delays. If your file exceeds this limit, try scanning at a lower resolution (150-200 DPI is usually sufficient), reducing image quality slightly, or splitting multi-page documents into smaller sections. Death certificates and legal documents rarely need high-resolution scans to be legible.

"Phone number must be exactly 10 digits" Remove any spaces, dashes, or parentheses and enter only the 10-digit number (e.g., 5551234567). Sunset currently supports US phone numbers only. This is for security purposes—we'll send a text message with a verification code to confirm your identity and protect your account from unauthorized access.

"Email address is too long (maximum 254 characters)" Email addresses cannot exceed 254 characters, which is the technical maximum defined by internet standards. If you're seeing this error, check for extra spaces or characters that may have been accidentally copied. Most email addresses are well under this limit.

"Email address contains invalid characters" Check for special characters or spaces that may have been accidentally included. Valid email addresses contain letters, numbers, and limited special characters (like periods and hyphens). Common causes of this error include accidental spaces, emojis, or characters copied from formatted text.

"Please fix validation errors before continuing" One or more fields on the page have errors that need to be corrected. Look for fields highlighted in red or with error messages displayed beneath them. All errors must be resolved before you can proceed to the next step. If you're having trouble identifying the error, try scrolling through the entire form.

If you're encountering an error not listed here, or if you need additional assistance, please contact our support team. We're here to help you through every step of the estate settlement process.