> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://api.hellosunset.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> Get started with the Sunset API for estate and probate management.

# Welcome to the Sunset API

<Note>
  The Sunset API is currently available by invitation only. If you're interested in integrating with Sunset, please email [api\_request@hellosunset.com](mailto:api_request@hellosunset.com) to request access.
</Note>

The Sunset API gives you programmatic access to the Sunset estate and probate management platform. Whether you're building an integration for a law firm, a financial advisory practice, or a family office, the API lets you manage every aspect of estate settlement — from the first notification to final asset distribution.

## Overview

Sunset handles the complexity of estate administration so your team doesn't have to. The API covers the full lifecycle:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Case Management" icon="folder-open">
    Create cases, record deceased and executor details, verify identities, and track authority documents.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Financial Tracking" icon="building-columns">
    Manage bank accounts, transactions, recurring payments, signers, POD/TOD beneficiaries, and statements.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Asset Valuation" icon="house">
    Request automated real estate valuations, track liens and mortgages, and monitor equity.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Document Management" icon="file-lines">
    Upload death certificates, probate filings, and property reports. Download and share securely.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Probate Navigation" icon="gavel">
    Access probate requirements for all 50 states and every county. Track filings, deadlines, creditor claims, and distributions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Communication Tools" icon="phone">
    Make recorded phone calls, send emails with attachments, fax documents, and initiate online notarizations — all with full audit trails.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Who is the API for?

| Audience                 | Use Case                                                                      |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Estate Attorneys**     | Automate case intake, track probate deadlines, manage court filings           |
| **Financial Advisors**   | Monitor estate accounts, track distributions, manage beneficiary designations |
| **Trust Companies**      | Manage multiple estates at scale with Pro multi-estate features               |
| **Insurance Providers**  | Verify death records, track claims, automate document collection              |
| **Family Offices**       | Coordinate across executors, attorneys, and family members                    |
| **Software Integrators** | Embed estate management into existing legal or financial platforms            |

## Base URL

All API requests are made to:

```
https://api.example.com/v1
```

A staging environment is available for development and testing:

```
https://staging-api.example.com/v1
```

## Quick Start

1. **Make your first request:**

```bash theme={null}
curl -X GET https://api.example.com/v1/cases
```

2. **Create a case:**

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.example.com/v1/cases \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "estate_value": "unknown",
    "progress": "just_started",
    "possible_dispute": "no_dispute_expected"
  }'
```

## Response Format

All responses follow a consistent envelope structure:

**Single resource:**

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": {
    "id": "01K5WF06MJ6T99HRYE78AN7XM8",
    "estate_value": "unknown",
    "progress": "just_started"
  }
}
```

**List of resources:**

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": [
    { "id": "01K5WF06MJ6T99HRYE78AN7XM8", "..." : "..." }
  ],
  "meta": {
    "page": 1,
    "per_page": 25,
    "total_count": 142,
    "total_pages": 6,
    "next_cursor": "eyJpZCI6...",
    "has_more": true
  }
}
```

## Key Features

### Identity Verification

Verify the identity of both the deceased (via SSDI lookup, vital records) and the executor (via government ID, knowledge-based authentication). Each verification tracks individual checks and produces a verification level (0–3).

### Real Estate Valuations

Request automated property valuations powered by AVM data. Get tax assessments, comparable sales, lien tracking, and equity estimates — all linked to estate financial accounts.

### Communication Tools

Place phone calls via Twilio with automatic recording, transcription, and AI summarization. Send emails with document attachments and delivery tracking. Fax documents with one click. Initiate online notarization sessions through DocuSign.

### Multi-Estate Management

Pro users can manage up to 50 estates from a single account. Enterprise plans offer unlimited cases with SSO and custom integrations.

### Collaboration

Invite attorneys, co-executors, and family members to collaborate on a case with role-based access control and granular permissions.

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Request Access" icon="key" href="/request-access">
    Apply for API credentials and get started with your integration.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Error Handling" icon="triangle-exclamation" href="/errors">
    Understand error codes and how to handle them.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pagination" icon="list" href="/pagination">
    Navigate large datasets with page-based and cursor-based pagination.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/cases/list-cases">
    Jump straight into the full API reference.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>