Losing a loved one can be one of life’s most difficult experiences. Whether expected or unexpected, it's never easy. Having a checklist of what to do and documents needed when someone dies can help serve as a guide to help navigate the difficult and overwhelming time.
To learn more, read Checklist: Losing a loved one.
What to do immediately after someone dies
Every situation is unique, and there’s no single set of steps to take; however, here are a few things to consider right after a loved one dies.
A death certificate1
Whether your loved one died at a hospital, in hospice care, home, or another location, a health care professional must officially pronounce and record the time of death. This is the first step in securing a death certificate2—a legal document that proves someone’s death. They're typically prepared by a medical examiner or a funeral director; however, you may also retrieve it from your loved ones local vital records office or their county’s department of health. Typically, it takes between two and four weeks to receive a copy. The cost varies by state.
Organ donation
Your loved one may have documented their preference to be an organ donor on their driver’s license with an advance health care directive form, or an official organ donation registration. If not, the decision must be made on their behalf, quickly, either before or after death.2 For more information about the process and requirements of organ donation, visit Organdonor.gov.
Make arrangements for dependents and pets
Not everyone has dependents or pets but if so, it’s important to think about care options and making plans—even if it’s temporary and before you find a long-term solution. If there are school-age children who have lost a parent, notifying the school is an important step.
Inform others
Usually the immediate family is notified, who then informs other family, friends, and acquaintances. It's a good idea to also inform coworkers or employers. Texting, group chat, or social media are quick ways to share and inform multiple people at once, and maybe even those who you do not have contact information for such as high-school or college friends, and even professional networking acquaintances. More formal calls such as to health care providers, financial institutions, or insurance companies can follow.
What to do after a death: Weeks 1–2
After the first few days following the passing of your loved one, you may need to handle some additional affairs. Here are some helpful tips:
- Find the will and submit to probate court. The will should be submitted to the local probate court. You'll need to include a certified copy of the death certificate. This process may require multiple legal filings, and hiring an attorney could make it easier.
- Locate trust documents and insurance policies. There are many types of trusts, and they generally avoid probate. Trusts can be considered part of the taxable estate. It’s important to notify the trustee as soon as possible.
- Contact attorney, financial advisor, and tax advisor. Financial professionals your loved one worked with may have insight into their plans.
- Get legal and tax advice of your own. Meet with the estate's executor or attorney, if appropriate, and yours if you have your own attorney, to discuss legal and tax issues associated with settling the estate.
- Forward mail. According to the US Postal Service, you’ll need proof that you’re the executor of the estate, or otherwise authorized to manage your loved one's mail such as forwarding mail to your address or a different address.3
- Contact the Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration should be one of the first government offices you notify after a death—and generally the funeral home will report the death for you, if you provide the Social Security number.4 The surviving spouse and minor children may be eligible for a one-time death benefit payment and survivor’s benefits. You can find your local office by calling 800-772-1213 or online at SSA.gov.
- Contact their employer about benefits and workplace savings plans. Make sure you’re aware of any retirement, profit-sharing, or equity compensation plans. Ask about insurance and other employer-sponsored programs that may exist. Be sure to get current account balances and find out how benefits are distributed.
- Ask their employer about continuing medical benefits. Under the federal COBRA regulations, a surviving spouse or child may be able to continue coverage with the existing health insurance plan. Find out more about Health plans and benefits: continuation of health coverage on DOL.gov. Additionally, if the surviving spouse is age 65 or older, they may be entitled to certain Medicare benefits.
What to do after death: Months 1–3
While you may not need to handle these tasks right away after the death of a loved one, in order to avoid obstacles and problems, consider:
- Pay special attention to IRAs. Contact the IRA provider to figure out if any Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) must be withdrawn. It’s important to know that if your loved one was taking RMDs and had not yet taken the withdrawal for the year, the RMD must be taken before December 31. If you’re the beneficiary of the IRA, talk to your legal or tax advisor to help determine your best course of action.
- Notify banks, brokerages, and other financial institutions. Many joint accounts are owned with the right of survivorship, meaning that when one owner dies, the surviving person is the sole owner of the account. If the bank accounts are solely owned, once the executor has the necessary documents, they’ll typically be able to use cash in financial accounts to pay creditors. If the accounts have been set up as transfer on death accounts, the beneficiary can go to the financial institution with the required documents and take ownership of the account. Even if you don’t have the required documents yet, notifying financial institutions as soon as possible can help avoid fraud or identity theft.
- The executor may need a tax ID and bank account for the estate. The estate may need a bank account to receive money from the sale of any assets, to pay creditors, and disburse funds to beneficiaries. To open a bank account, you’ll need a tax ID number for the estate.
- Contact credit card companies. Notifying credit card companies can help prevent new charges from recurring bill payments, accruing interest, and help avoid identity theft. If you’re a joint owner on a credit card account, you should be able to continue using the account even after notifying the credit card company. Ask whether there are any death benefits associated with each credit card.
- Contact insurance companies. Notify insurance companies. There may be life, home, auto, and personal property insurance policies. It’s important to ensure that coverage will continue while the estate is settled.
- Contact their mortgage company, if applicable. See Inheriting a house: what to do for more information.
- Notify credit bureaus. Contact one of the 3 credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion to notify them of the death. Notifying one of the companies will get the account flagged at all credit bureaus so that no credit will be issued in your loved one’s name.5 It can be a good idea to also request credit reports from each of the agencies. They’ll show all open accounts.
- Cancel memberships, subscriptions, and services. You may find information about outstanding services and subscriptions from credit cards or bank account statements. To avoid ongoing billing, it’s important to find these accounts and cancel them as soon as possible. This could include everything from gyms and cell phone plans to online games and streaming services.