Probates..mail to those who recently died or recently filed?

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In my county I can search probate records online. I can search by deceased date or filed date. Which do you normally search by?

If I search by deceased date, I know the lead is pretty good because its new. I just go back a couple months to give the family time to grieve. I don't mail to people who have passed in the last month or two. 

If I search by filed date, it brings up A LOT more leads, but some of these people died as far back as 5, 10, or even 20 years ago. Would you mail to the estate of someone that died that long ago, or only to people that died within the last year or so?

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@Todd Campbell

[Rick H.]

You sound a bit lost. Pull records by filing date.

I've had many, many probate deals referred to me that the date of death was (5) years or more prior to the tine probate was even opened!

It would be MUCH more instructive if you drove down to the courthouse and pulled some physical case files. Read through ten cases, front to back, noting the forms and documents of record and the types of problems that are encountered and the solutions that are being proposed. 

That's where the money is.

Of course, if you are a lazy bones type, you'll limit yourself to only what you can find online. However, once you begin to see the boundless opportunity in mining the courthouse, the online data will be revealed as restrictive.

Once at the courthouse, I suggest you sit in on some open hearings and note the deli maps and issues that come up. These will inspire your marketing effort as you'll better know the types of situations to target your mail and ads to.

Remember: problems are opportunity for profits.