When someone dies, the first task is to have the death legally pronounced, then contact a funeral home, which will transport the body and help file the death certificate. After that, the work moves in stages: notifying family and the person's employer in the first days, ordering death certificates and contacting Social Security, banks and insurers in the first weeks, and settling the estate and final taxes over the following months. Very little has to be done in the first few hours, and most families have more time than they expect.
This guide walks through each stage in order. If you prefer to tick things off as you go, our interactive checklist covers the same steps and remembers your progress on your device.
In the first hours
Get a legal pronouncement of death
A death has to be pronounced by someone authorized to do so before the body can be moved.
- In a hospital, nursing home or hospice care, staff handle the pronouncement. If the person was in home hospice, call the hospice nurse rather than 911.
- At home without hospice, call 911. Paramedics or the police will respond, and a doctor or medical examiner will pronounce the death.
- If the death was sudden, unexpected or accidental, the medical examiner or coroner may need to be involved, which can delay the release of the body.
Check for organ, tissue or body donation
If the person registered as a donor, tell the medical staff right away, because organ donation is time sensitive. Tissue and eye donation can usually happen within a longer window. Whole-body donation to a medical school needs the school's acceptance, often arranged in advance.
Look for written wishes
Before choosing a funeral home, look for a will, a letter of instructions, a prepaid funeral contract or a cemetery deed. Many people have already bought a plot or chosen between burial and cremation, and a prepaid contract names the funeral home to call.
Notify close family
Call immediate family and close friends. It helps to ask one or two people to share the news with wider circles, so you are not making every call yourself.
In the first few days
Choose a funeral home
The funeral home collects the body, files the death certificate with the local registrar, obtains the burial or cremation permit, and helps you arrange the service. You can call more than one funeral home and ask for prices before you decide. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, they must give you price information by phone and an itemized General Price List in person.
Use our burial cost calculator to compare quotes line by line, and see How Long After Death Is a Funeral? for typical timelines.
Check veterans benefits
If the person served in the military, eligible veterans can be buried in a VA national cemetery at no cost for the gravesite, opening and closing, liner, headstone and perpetual care. The funeral home will need the discharge papers (DD Form 214). Check with our VA burial eligibility checker and browse national cemeteries.
Make the service arrangements
Decide on burial or cremation, the cemetery, the type of service, the casket or urn, and who will speak or officiate. Write the obituary, or ask a family member to. Our guide on how to write an obituary includes a template.
Order death certificates
The funeral home usually orders certified copies of the death certificate for you. Banks, insurers, government agencies and others each ask for one, so most families need several. See How Many Death Certificates Do You Need? to work out your number.
Secure the home and property
If the person lived alone, lock the home, collect mail, look after pets and plants, and remove valuables. Keep an eye on the car and any firearms.
Tell the employer
If the person was working, contact the employer about the final paycheck, unused vacation pay, a group life insurance policy, retirement plans and any health coverage for dependents.
In the first weeks
Notify Social Security
Social Security must be told of the death. Funeral homes often report it for you, so ask whether they have. If the person received benefits, the payment for the month of death and any later months must be returned, even if it arrived by direct deposit. Surviving spouses and children may qualify for survivor benefits and a one-time lump-sum death payment, so ask about these when you call.
Contact Medicare and other health coverage
Social Security usually informs Medicare. Contact any Medicare Advantage, supplement or drug plan, and any private health insurer, to stop coverage and premiums.
Notify the financial institutions
| Who to contact | Why |
|---|---|
| Banks and credit unions | Freeze or retitle accounts, release payable-on-death funds |
| Credit card companies | Close accounts; debts are paid from the estate, not by family |
| Investment and brokerage firms | Transfer or retitle accounts |
| Mortgage lender and loan servicers | Arrange payments while the estate is settled |
| Credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) | Flag the credit file as deceased to prevent identity theft |
Family members are generally not personally responsible for the person's debts unless they co-signed or shared the account, but rules vary by state, so ask the estate's attorney if you are unsure.
File life insurance and pension claims
Contact each life insurer with the policy number and a certified death certificate. Check for policies through the employer, credit cards, banks, unions, fraternal organizations and professional associations. Ask former employers and pension plans about survivor benefits.
Find the will and start probate if needed
The person named as executor in the will (or an administrator appointed by the court if there is no will) is responsible for settling the estate. Whether probate is required depends on the state and on how assets were held. Assets with named beneficiaries, joint ownership or a trust often pass outside probate. A local probate attorney or the county probate court can explain the process.
In the first months
Settle debts and distribute the estate
The executor pays valid debts and expenses from the estate, then distributes what remains according to the will or state law. Keep records of every payment and transfer.
File the final tax returns
A final federal income tax return is due for the year of death, and the estate may need its own return. State returns may also be due. A tax preparer familiar with estates can help, especially if the estate is large or includes property.
Cancel accounts and services
- Driver's license (contact the state DMV) and vehicle registrations
- Passport, voter registration and any professional licenses
- Utilities, phone, internet and streaming subscriptions
- Memberships, magazine subscriptions and recurring donations
- Email, social media and other online accounts. Many platforms let a family member close or memorialize an account with a death certificate
Order a headstone
Many families order a headstone or marker a few months after the burial, once the ground has settled. Veterans may qualify for a free government headstone. See What Does a Headstone Cost? and How to Get a Veterans Headstone or Marker.
Look after yourself
Grief makes paperwork harder. Spread tasks among family members, keep a notebook of who you called and when, and do not sign contracts or make large financial decisions under pressure. Hospice programs, places of worship and community grief groups offer support, often at no cost.