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What to Do When Someone Dies: A Checklist

Planning ahead · 14 min read · First published 2026 · Updated November 2026

A hearse with a casket and flowers, in black and white
Photo by Panyawat Auitpol on Unsplash

If someone you love has just died, you may feel numb, exhausted or frozen. That is normal. You do not have to do everything at once, and almost nothing has to happen in the first hour except the few things below. Read this one section at a time, and ask for help.

This guide is written for the United States. Rules vary by state and by country, so check with your state's offices and with local professionals. If you're outside the U.S., the general order of steps may still help.

Key points

  • First hours: Make sure the death is officially pronounced, call the right person (it is not always 911), tell a few close people, and make sure any pets are safe. You can take time with your loved one before the funeral home arrives.
  • First days: Choose a funeral home or other arrangements, and get several certified death certificates.
  • First weeks: Find the will, notify Social Security, banks, insurers and employers, and protect against identity theft.
  • First months: Handle the estate, final taxes, accounts and belongings, in your own time.
  • Nobody expects you to do this alone, or perfectly.

The first hours

If the person was on hospice

If your loved one was receiving hospice care, do not call 911. Call the hospice's 24-hour number instead. A hospice nurse will come, confirm the death and handle the legal paperwork. Hospice staff can also help you find a funeral home, stay with the family until the funeral home arrives, arrange to remove equipment such as a hospital bed, and dispose of medications.

You do not have to hurry. It is normal to want to spend time with the person you love. You can sit with them, say goodbye, or invite family to come. The hospice team can tell you what to expect.

If the death was expected but not on hospice

A death must be officially pronounced by someone with the authority to do it, such as a doctor or hospice nurse. If someone died at home from a known illness without hospice, call their doctor or the number you were given for their care team. The doctor, your local medical examiner or coroner, or your local health department can tell you who pronounces the death where you live. If you can't reach anyone, call 911 and explain the situation.

If the death was sudden or unexpected

Call 911. Emergency responders will decide what happens next, and police or a medical examiner or coroner may become involved. This can feel frightening and intrusive, and it can delay the release of your loved one to a funeral home. It is a routine part of the process. Ask what to expect and who your contact person is. Rules for when a medical examiner or coroner reviews a death differ by state.

If the death happened in a hospital or care facility

Staff will usually pronounce the death and contact the doctor. They can tell you what paperwork is needed and when the body needs to be moved, and they may help with arrangements. Ask whether there's a social worker or chaplain who can sit with you.

Who to tell right away

  • A close family member or friend who can start calling others for you
  • Other close relatives, as you feel able
  • A faith leader or spiritual advisor, if you'd like one involved
  • The person's employer, if they're expected at work (this can wait a day or two)
  • Anyone caring for their pets or home (see below)

You don't need to tell everyone yourself. Ask a friend to make a short list of people and share the news.

Pets and home

Make sure any pets are safe, fed and not left alone. If the person lived alone, ask a neighbor or friend to take the pets in for a few days, or to stay with them. Animals grieve too, and they're often confused by a sudden absence. Look for any written wishes about pet care, and give the vet's name to whoever is helping. Pet Loss Books Lock up the home, make sure someone trusted has a key, and take in the mail for now.

The first days

Choose a funeral home or other arrangements

If the person had pre-planned arrangements, a prepaid plan or written wishes, find them first. If not, you will need to choose how to proceed: burial, cremation, donation to science, a memorial service, or a celebration of life. Celebration of Life Ideas

It's all right to take your time and ask questions. Under the FTC's Funeral Rule, a funeral home must give you its General Price List to keep, must give price information by phone if you ask (you don't need to give your name), and can't refuse a casket or urn you bought elsewhere or charge you a fee to handle it. No state law requires routine embalming for every death, and direct cremation doesn't require it. If you feel pressure to buy more than you want, you are allowed to say no. Unscrupulous Sales Techniques in Funeral Homes

Death certificates

You will need certified copies of the death certificate to close accounts, claim benefits and settle the estate. The funeral director usually completes and files the death certificate. Certified copies come from the vital records office of the state where the person died, and the cost varies by state. You will need the date and place of death, and the state may ask how you are related to the person.

How many do you need? There is no magic number. One identity theft guide, a 2012 fact sheet from the Identity Theft Resource Center that the Arizona Attorney General posts on its website, suggests getting at least 12, because some businesses accept a photocopy but many want a certified original. Ask the funeral director to order them with the arrangements. You can order more later.

If the person was a veteran

Veterans, and some spouses and dependent children, may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, a headstone or marker, and help with burial costs. To schedule a burial in a national cemetery, you or the funeral director can call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern. You'll need the Veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers.

Write the obituary and plan the service

When you feel ready, write the obituary or ask someone to help. Keep personal details such as a full date of birth and home address out of it. How to Write an Obituary Choose readings, music and speakers for the service when you can. Tips for Writing a Eulogy

The first weeks

Social Security and Medicare

In most cases, the funeral director reports the death to Social Security. Give them the person's Social Security number. If you aren't using a funeral director, or you aren't sure it was done, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in most time zones. Social Security takes death reports only by phone or in person, not online, and one report covers Medicare too. If you live outside the U.S., you can contact a Federal Benefits Unit or call the International Call Center at +1-855-522-6936.

Two things to know:

  • Social Security says benefits received for the month of death and any later months must be returned. If a payment came by direct deposit, ask the bank to send it back.
  • A surviving spouse may be able to receive a one-time payment of $255, and some children may be eligible if there is no spouse. Certain family members may also qualify for monthly survivor benefits. Ask Social Security about your situation.

Find the will and important papers

Look for a will, trust documents, life insurance policies, deeds, vehicle titles, recent tax returns, bank and retirement account statements, a list of passwords or a password manager, military papers, and any advance directives or funeral wishes. Don't throw away mail yet. It's how you will find out what accounts exist.

Protect against identity theft

Thieves sometimes use the identities of people who have died. Some practical steps:

  • Order extra certified death certificates so you can send copies without losing track.
  • Contact one of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) and ask them to place a deceased notice on the credit file. Equifax says the bureau you notify will tell the other two. Some consumer guides, such as the Identity Theft Resource Center fact sheet posted by the Arizona Attorney General, suggest contacting all three anyway. Expect to send a copy of the death certificate and your own ID, and, if you are not the spouse, court papers showing you are authorized to act. Check each bureau's website for current instructions.
  • Review the credit report for accounts you didn't know about.
  • Keep an eye on the mail, and stop things like credit card offers.
  • Report any fraud at IdentityTheft.gov.

Talk to banks, insurers and employers

  • Banks and credit unions. Ask what they need for each account. A joint account owner can usually keep using a joint account. Accounts in the person's name alone may be frozen until someone has legal authority to act for the estate.
  • Life insurance and pensions. Contact each company or plan. They will want a certified death certificate and a claim form.
  • Employer. Ask about final pay, unused leave, benefits and any life insurance through work.
  • Health insurance and Medicare supplement plans. Ask about final bills, and whether surviving family can continue coverage.
  • Utilities, phone and mail. Don't cancel the power, heat or internet until you know what you will do with the house.

Bills and debts

You usually don't have to pay a person's debts from your own money. The FTC says debts are paid from the person's estate, and if the estate doesn't have enough money, the debt usually goes unpaid. There are exceptions: if you co-signed the debt, if you are a spouse in a community property state or in a state that requires spouses to pay certain debts (such as some health care costs), or if you were responsible for settling the estate and didn't follow your state's probate rules.

Debt collectors may discuss the debt only with certain people, such as a spouse or the executor, and they can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. unless you agree. To make them stop contacting you, ask in writing, by letter or email. A phone call isn't enough. Keep a copy. You can report problems to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to your state attorney general.

The first months

Executor duties

If your loved one named you as executor (sometimes called personal representative), you are in charge of settling their estate. In general, that means:

  • Filing the will with the probate court, if your state requires it
  • Getting legal authority to act
  • Making a list of assets and debts
  • Paying valid debts and taxes
  • Distributing what is left to the people named in the will, or by state law if there is no will
  • Keeping careful records

Timing and rules vary by state, and some estates can be settled simply, with little or no court involvement. It's wise to speak with a probate or estate attorney in your state, especially if there's real estate, a business, or a disagreement in the family. A written checklist and a folder or binder will keep you organized.

Taxes

A final income tax return is still due. The surviving spouse or representative files it, and the usual tax deadlines apply. The IRS doesn't need a death certificate. A representative who isn't court-appointed must attach Form 1310 to claim a refund. A tax professional can advise whether the estate needs its own returns. Estate Planning FAQs: Do I Need a Will?

Digital accounts and subscriptions

Make a list of email, social media, banking, photo, streaming and subscription accounts. Many services offer a way to memorialize an account, name a legacy contact or close it, and each has its own rules, so check each company's help pages. Don't log in as the person without checking the service's terms, and keep copies of what you do. Cancel recurring subscriptions to stop the charges. Save photos and files you want to keep before an account closes.

Belongings and the home

Sorting belongings can wait. Take photographs, keep what is dear, and give yourself months if you need them. If you must clear a home, do the small, urgent things first, and take your time with the rest.

Looking after yourself

Grief affects your sleep, appetite, memory and concentration. Make a short list for the day, not the year. Accept meals and offers of help. Consider joining a support group or talking to a counselor. 20 Quick Tips to Help With Grief Returning to Work After a Loss

If you feel overwhelmed or in crisis, reach out to a doctor, a counselor or a trusted friend. In the U.S., you can call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org, any time of day or night.

A short checklist to print

  • Death pronounced and recorded
  • Close family and friends told
  • Pets and home looked after
  • Funeral home chosen, arrangements made
  • Certified death certificates ordered
  • Obituary written
  • Social Security notified (usually by the funeral home)
  • Will and papers located
  • Credit bureaus notified
  • Banks, insurers and employer contacted
  • Executor steps started, attorney contacted if needed
  • Final tax return planned
  • Digital accounts and subscriptions listed
  • Someone checking on you

Going through this often makes people want to get their own papers in order. An executor planner keeps accounts, contacts and wishes in one place, and an online will service can be a simple start for an uncomplicated estate. For anything complex, an estate attorney is still the best choice.

Sources

Written by Words to Comfort

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