My dear gentleman of 45 years just passed. I am joint on a checking and savings account. I will be appointed executor of his estate.
Household expenses are on automatic payment from either a card or the joint checking account.
Do I pay immediate bills from the current joint account or wait till I establish an estate account?
It can take well over a year to close out everything, so be cautious how you pay out things, making sure you don't have to 'negotiate' some bills. Dad has stuff coming in a year after he passed--some worthless property we can't sell, but have to pay taxes on every year.
There's really no rush, unless you want there to be. So many emotions swirling around right after the death of a LO. Take your time.
Do go to a good Lawyer to help you walk through settling the estate. This is so worth it. I paid for about one and one half hours of lawyer time for my brother, and it was invaluable just in terms of getting the EIN number for the Estate quickly.
Wishing you luck. Take it a day at a time. And I am so very sorry for your loss. I will leave with recommending a short and easy book you can get from Amazon. It is Please Don't Die, but if you Do Die, What Do I Do Next. A paperback written by Kurt J. Grube.
https://www.elderlawanswers.com/what-happens-to-your-debts-when-you-die-14689#:~:text=Usually%20your%20estate%20is%20responsible%20for%20paying%20any%20debts%20you%20leave%20behind.&text=The%20person%20who%20is%20appointed,any%20money%20passes%20to%20heirs.