What to Do When Someone Dies: A Complete Checklist

The first 48 hours

The first day or two after a death is about taking care of the person, notifying family, and making initial arrangements. Nothing financial or legal needs to happen yet. Focus on these five things.

Get the legal pronouncement of death

A legal pronouncement is required before a death certificate can be issued. If the death happened in a hospital or care facility, the staff handles this. If it happened at home, call 911 or the hospice nurse. You do not need to do anything with the pronouncement itself; it flows automatically into the death certificate process.

Arrange care for dependents and pets

If the person who died was responsible for children, elderly family members, or pets, make sure someone is covering right now. This is the most time-sensitive task on this list.

Notify close family and friends

Let immediate family know first, then close friends. You do not need to share details about arrangements yet. Ask a trusted person to help make calls on your behalf if you need to.

Contact a funeral home

A funeral home can guide you through next steps for the body. If the person had pre-arranged services, look for that paperwork. If not, ask family or friends for recommendations.

You do not need to make every decision right away. The funeral home will hold the body while you take time.

Locate the will and estate planning documents

Look for a will, trust documents, power of attorney, and any written wishes about burial or cremation. Check the home office, filing cabinet, safe deposit box, or with their attorney.

If there is no will, that is okay. Many estates are handled without one, and you can address this in the coming weeks. See our guide to handling an estate without a will for details.

Also: secure the home if it will be unoccupied. Lock all doors, collect mail, and ask a neighbor to keep an eye on the property.

For a detailed walkthrough of these first steps, see The First 48 Hours After a Death.

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The first week

Once the immediate tasks are handled, the next layer of work involves documentation, notifications, and financial housekeeping. Most of this can happen over the course of a week, and none of it has a same-day deadline.

Order death certificates

You will need 10 to 15 certified copies. Banks, insurance companies, government agencies, and courts each require their own original. The funeral home can help you order them, or you can contact your state's vital records office directly.

Certified copies cost $5 to $25 each depending on the state. Order extras now; running out later means delays.

For state-specific ordering details, see How to Get Death Certificates.

Plan the funeral or memorial service

This is the practical side: choosing between burial and cremation, setting a date and venue, writing the obituary, and coordinating logistics. Ask family and friends to help.

One thing to watch: be careful what personal details you include in the obituary. Identity thieves monitor obituaries for dates of birth, maiden names, and home addresses.

Average costs: $8,000 to $15,000 for a funeral with burial, $3,000 to $7,000 for cremation, $1,000 to $3,000 for direct cremation.

For cost breakdowns and ways to reduce expenses, see How Much Does a Funeral Cost? and How to Plan a Funeral With No Money.

Notify the employer

Contact their employer's HR department. Ask about any final paycheck, group life insurance, 401(k) or pension plans, COBRA health insurance continuation for dependents, and accrued vacation payout. HR departments handle this regularly and will walk you through it.

Contact Social Security

Report the death to the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. If the person was receiving benefits, those payments need to stop. Surviving spouses and dependents may qualify for survivor benefits. You must apply by phone or in person.

For the full breakdown of survivor benefits, tax obligations, and veterans benefits, see our survivor's guide to benefits and taxes.

File life insurance claims

Contact each life insurance company where the person had a policy. You will need the policy number and a certified death certificate.

If you do not know whether a policy exists, the NAIC runs a free Life Insurance Policy Locator that searches participating insurers. Also check with their employer, since many people have group life insurance through work that family members do not know about.

For step-by-step instructions, see How to Find Out If a Deceased Person Had Life Insurance.

Notify banks and financial institutions

Contact each bank, credit union, and brokerage where the person had accounts. They will freeze individual accounts to protect the funds while you work through the legal process. Joint accounts with rights of survivorship pass automatically to the surviving owner.

For specific procedures by institution and account type, see Closing Financial Accounts After a Death and How to Close a Bank Account After Someone Dies.

Also this week: Freeze credit with all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) to prevent identity theft. Forward mail through the post office. Secure any digital accounts you have access to.

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The first month

With the funeral behind you and the immediate notifications done, the first month shifts to closing out accounts, canceling services, and beginning the legal groundwork.

Close credit card accounts

Contact each credit card company to report the death and close the account. The remaining balance is a debt of the estate, not your personal responsibility, unless you were a co-signer or live in a community property state.

For a full explanation of who is (and is not) liable for a deceased person's debts, see Am I Responsible for a Deceased Person's Debt?.

Transfer vehicle titles

Contact your state's DMV about transferring the title of any vehicles the person owned. You will need the death certificate, the vehicle title, and proof of your relationship or authority.

For details on vehicle titles, real estate transfers, and other property, see Transferring Property and Vehicles After a Death.

Cancel or adjust insurance policies

Contact health, auto, and home insurance providers to cancel or update policies. If a surviving spouse was covered under the deceased's health plan, check whether they qualify for COBRA continuation (up to 36 months).

Cancel subscriptions and recurring charges

Review bank and credit card statements from the last two months for recurring charges: streaming services, gym memberships, phone plans, magazine subscriptions, and automatic bill payments. Cancel or transfer each one.

Notify the IRS

You may need to request a copy of the deceased's most recent tax return or notify the IRS of the death. A final income tax return will need to be filed, but that is not due until April 15 of the following year.

Depending on your situation, you may also need to:

• Contact the Veterans Administration if the person served in the military (call 1-800-827-1000)
• Notify the mortgage company if the person owned a home
• Address guardianship for minor children
• Contact student loan servicers (federal student loans are discharged upon the borrower's death)

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The first 2-6 months

This is when the estate settlement work happens in earnest. If you are serving as the executor, see What Does an Executor Actually Do? for a detailed guide to your responsibilities and timeline.

Determine if probate is required

Probate is the court-supervised process of distributing a deceased person's estate. Whether you need it depends on your state and the size of the estate. Many states offer simplified procedures for smaller estates, and assets with named beneficiaries (life insurance, retirement accounts, joint accounts) skip probate entirely.

For a full walkthrough of the probate process, timelines, costs, and alternatives, see How Probate Works (and When You Can Skip It).

Prepare an inventory of all assets and debts

Make a complete list of everything the person owned (bank accounts, investments, property, vehicles, valuables) and everything they owed (mortgage, loans, credit cards, medical bills). This inventory is required for probate and is useful for tax filing even if probate is not needed.

File the final tax returns

A final Form 1040 needs to be filed covering January 1 through the date of death. A surviving spouse can file jointly for the year of death. If the estate earned more than $600 in income after the date of death, a separate estate tax return (Form 1041) is also required.

For tax obligations, filing deadlines, and state estate and inheritance taxes, see A Survivor's Guide to Benefits and Taxes.

Distribute assets to beneficiaries

Once debts are settled and any required probate process is complete, remaining assets can be distributed according to the will or state law. Keep detailed records of every distribution.

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When you are ready

Some tasks have no deadline. Sorting through personal belongings, seeking grief counseling, setting up a memorial, and updating your own estate plan can all happen on your own timeline.

For guidance on the physical process of clearing out a home, see Cleaning Out a Deceased Person's Home.

If you are having trouble concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things, that is a normal neurobiological response to grief. See Grief Brain Fog: Why You Can't Think Straight After a Loss.

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This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or tax advice. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Last reviewed: 2026-03-24