What to do when someone dies: checklist for the first 48 hours and two weeks (US)

When someone dies, many tasks arrive at once and nobody hands you a list. Whether you are the named executor or simply the person handling things, this after death checklist gives you the order. See also who to notify when someone dies and the step-by-step timeline. This page is a free excerpt of a longer checklist. It follows the order in which things usually happen: the first 48 hours, then the first two weeks. Timing shown here is what typically happens. It is not a legal deadline, and deadlines vary by state and by the facts of the estate.

Keep one notebook or folder for the whole process: every call, name, date and document received. It saves repeat work and supports your accounting later.

The first 48 hours

1. Get the death documented

Get the pronouncement of death documented and ask who will issue the official death record. Nearly every later step needs an official death certificate, and it starts here. Contact the hospital, hospice, medical examiner or attending physician. Have the name, date and place of death ready.

2. Locate the will and trust documents

Find the will, any trust documents and any letter of instruction, and keep the originals safe. The original will is usually what the probate court asks for, and its instructions drive the rest of the process. Look in home files, with the safe deposit box holder, or ask the decedent's attorney.

3. Plan the funeral before spending money

Choose a funeral home and read any pre-arranged funeral or burial plan first. A prepaid plan can change what you need to buy and what the estate owes. Ask for the written wishes of the decedent if they exist.

4. Ask about death certificates

Ask the funeral home how many certified death certificates to order and whether it will file the death with the state. Funeral homes commonly handle the filing and the first certified copies, so asking up front avoids gaps. You will need the Social Security number and the parents' names and birthplaces as the form requires.

5. Ask about the Social Security report

Ask whether the funeral home will report the death to the Social Security Administration, and confirm later that it was done. Many funeral homes make this report as a routine service, but you should check with the agency.

6. Secure the home

Lock up, collect spare keys, pause deliveries and ask a trusted person to check on the home. An empty home can be a theft or damage risk, and insurers may limit cover when a home is vacant.

7. Be careful with money

Do not pay the decedent's bills from your own money or move estate money yet, and keep every receipt for expenses you do advance. Whether the estate repays advances, and when your authority to act begins, depend on your state. Confirm with the court clerk or an attorney.

8. Check for veteran status

If the decedent served in the military, gather the discharge papers, usually the DD214. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs lists burial benefits that include burial in a national cemetery, a burial allowance, headstones, markers and Presidential Memorial Certificates. See the VA burials and memorials page.

The first two weeks

9. Order certified death certificates

Many organizations want an original certified copy, so order more than you think you need. Banks, insurers, pension plans, the court and title offices commonly each ask for one. Death certificates come from the state or territory where the death occurred; the federal government does not distribute them, as the CDC explains on its Where to Write for Vital Records page. Our letters page includes a sample request.

10. Find out whether probate is needed

Ask the probate court clerk in the county where the decedent lived which court has jurisdiction and whether a case is needed. Rules depend on the state and on how assets are titled. Bring the will and a list of assets and how they are titled.

11. Consider an attorney consultation

An attorney can tell you what applies in your state, which a general checklist cannot. A state or local bar referral service can help you find a probate attorney. Bring the will, an asset list and the death certificate.

12. Place a deceased alert with the credit bureaus

Contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to place a deceased alert. It helps stop new credit being opened in the decedent's name. Each bureau sets its own proof requirements, so check its current instructions.

13. Notify the banks

Tell each bank or credit union about the death and ask what it needs from you. Each institution has its own procedure for freezing, retitling or releasing accounts. A full sample bank letter is on the letters page.

14. Search for life insurance

Look for life insurance policies and file a claim for each one you find. Insurance paid to a named beneficiary is often the fastest source of funds for a family. Check the mail, the employer and any agent.

Next steps, from opening the estate to closing it, are laid out on the timeline page.