What to Do When Someone Dies: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Grief and logistics arrive at the same time. Within hours of a death, calls need to go out, a funeral home needs to be contacted, and dozens of decisions start pressing in — none of it waits. This guide gives you a clear order of operations so you can work through what needs to happen without having to figure it out from scratch.

In the first 24 hours: notify close family, contact a funeral home, and secure the home. In the first week: order 10–15 death certificates, plan the service, and publish the obituary. Most of the administrative work — banks, Social Security, subscriptions — happens in the first month. Use the checklist at the bottom of this page if you need a quick reference.

Nothing here is rigid. Every situation is different, and you do not have to do everything perfectly. But having a map helps.

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In the First Hour

What you do in the first hour depends on where and how the death occurred.

If the person died at home with hospice care

Hospice will guide you. Call your hospice nurse first -- they will come to the home, certify the death, and coordinate with the funeral home. You do not need to call 911.

If the person died at home unexpectedly

Call 911. The paramedics will come, and if the death appears natural, a doctor or medical examiner will certify it. Do not move the person before first responders arrive. An unexpected home death typically involves a brief investigation -- this is standard and does not mean anything is wrong.

If the person died in a hospital or care facility

The facility handles the pronouncement and will hold the body until you arrange transport with a funeral home. You do not need to act immediately -- take time to be with the person if the facility allows it.

If the person died away from home

Contact the local authorities where the death occurred. If it happened in another state or country, the funeral home you choose can help coordinate transport.

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The First 24 Hours

Notify your closest people

Call the people who need to know immediately: a spouse, children, siblings, or closest friends. You do not have to make every call yourself -- ask one person to help spread the word to the next circle.

You will make many more notifications in the days ahead. For now, focus on the people who would be hurt to hear it from anyone other than you.

Contact a funeral home

The funeral home handles transport of the body, death certificate processing, and the logistics of burial or cremation. You do not have to choose everything right now -- but you need to initiate contact so the body can be moved from wherever the death occurred.

If the person left pre-arranged funeral plans or expressed wishes in a will, locate those now. They will shape the decisions ahead.

Secure the home and care for dependents

If the deceased lived alone, make sure the home is secure. Arrange care for any pets, children, or other dependents who were in the person's care.

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Days 2 Through 7

Obtain death certificates

The funeral home typically files for the death certificate on your behalf. Order more copies than you think you need -- most families need between 10 and 15. Banks, insurers, government agencies, and employers all require original certified copies, and getting additional ones later is time-consuming.

Locate important documents

You will need access to:

• The will and any trust documents
• Insurance policies (life, health, long-term care)
• Financial account information (bank accounts, investments, retirement accounts)
• Social Security card and number
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Military discharge papers (if the person was a veteran)
• Property deeds and vehicle titles
• Tax returns from recent years

If you do not know where these are, check filing cabinets, a home safe, a safe deposit box, or the person's email for account statements.

Plan the service

Decide on burial or cremation, the type of service, date, venue, and who will officiate. For a full breakdown of the decisions involved, see our guide to how to plan a funeral.

A traditional funeral typically happens within a week. A memorial service or celebration of life can be scheduled later, which gives more time for out-of-town family to arrange travel.

Write and publish the obituary

An obituary serves as both an announcement and a tribute. Most families publish it in a local newspaper and on the funeral home's website. It typically includes:

• Full name, age, and date of death
• Brief biography
• Surviving family members
• Service details
• Donation or flower preference

For examples and a full walkthrough, see how to write an obituary.

Send death announcements

Once immediate family has been notified by phone, broader announcements can go out by text, email, and social media. For ready-to-use wording for every format, see death announcement wording. If you want to share the full service schedule as a single link on WhatsApp rather than repeating details across dozens of messages, a funeral announcement card takes about 5 minutes to create.

Create an online memorial page

An online memorial page gives friends and family a place to gather, share memories, and light candles -- especially those who cannot travel to the service. You can create one in about five minutes and share the link in announcements and at the service itself.

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The First Month

This is when the administrative tasks begin in earnest. Work through them in whatever order makes sense for your situation. You do not have to do all of this immediately.

Notify the Social Security Administration

If the deceased received Social Security benefits, notify the SSA promptly -- benefits for the month of death must be returned. A surviving spouse or dependent children may be eligible for survivor benefits. Call SSA directly or visit ssa.gov.

Notify financial institutions

Contact every bank, credit union, and investment account. You will need certified death certificates. The process varies by institution and by whether accounts were joint or solely in the deceased's name.

• Joint accounts typically transfer to the surviving owner automatically
• Sole accounts go through probate unless a beneficiary is named or the account has a payable-on-death designation
• Retirement accounts (IRA, 401k) pass directly to named beneficiaries -- contact the plan administrator

Notify insurance companies

Contact the holder of every insurance policy:

• Life insurance -- file a claim with each policy. You will need certified death certificates.
• Health insurance -- notify the insurer and remove the deceased from the policy if others remain covered
• Homeowner's or renter's insurance -- notify the insurer of the change in household
• Auto insurance -- notify and update or cancel as appropriate
• Long-term care insurance -- if the person was receiving benefits, notify the insurer

Notify the deceased's employer

If the person was employed, notify HR. Ask about:

• Final paycheck and any outstanding expenses
• Pension or 401k plan (you may need to contact the plan separately)
• Life insurance through the employer
• Accrued vacation or PTO payout
• Continuing health coverage for surviving dependents (COBRA)

Cancel or transfer subscriptions and memberships

Go through the person's bank and credit card statements to identify recurring charges. Common ones to cancel or transfer:

• Streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, etc.)
• Gym memberships
• Magazine and newsletter subscriptions
• Phone plan
• Internet and cable
• Club memberships

Handle digital accounts

Social media, email, and other digital accounts need attention. Options vary by platform:

• Facebook can be memorialized, which freezes the account as a tribute and prevents new logins. See how to memorialize a Facebook account.
• Google and Apple accounts have legacy contact features that allow controlled access or deletion
• Email accounts may contain important financial or legal records -- secure access before closing

For a broader look at managing someone's online presence after death, see social media after death and digital legacy planning.

Update government records

Notify the following government agencies as applicable:

• DMV -- cancel or transfer the driver's license; update vehicle registrations
• Passport office -- report the death and return the passport if requested
• Voter registration -- contact your local county clerk to remove the deceased from voter rolls
• Veterans Affairs -- if the person was a veteran, notify the VA; surviving spouses may be eligible for certain benefits

Handle the mail

Submit a mail forwarding request through USPS if you need to manage the person's mail. Review incoming mail for bills, statements, and any accounts you may have missed.

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Probate and the Estate

If the deceased left a will, it must typically go through probate -- a court-supervised process for distributing assets. If there is no will, the estate is distributed according to your state's intestacy laws.

Whether probate is required and how long it takes varies significantly by state and by the complexity of the estate. If the estate has significant assets, real estate, or complicated ownership structures, consult an estate attorney.

Assets that typically bypass probate:

• Joint tenancy property (passes to the survivor)
• Retirement accounts with named beneficiaries
• Life insurance with named beneficiaries
• Payable-on-death bank accounts
• Assets held in a living trust

If you are the executor named in the will, you will be responsible for filing the will with the probate court, notifying creditors, paying outstanding debts, and distributing assets to beneficiaries. This process can take months.

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After the Service

Send thank-you notes

After the service, send notes to those who attended, sent flowers, made donations, provided meals, or helped in other ways. For wording by situation, see funeral thank you note wording.

File the final tax return

The deceased's final federal income tax return covers January 1 through the date of death, and is due the following April 15. If the estate generates income during administration (interest, dividends, rent), a separate estate income tax return may also be required.

If this feels complex, a CPA or estate attorney can help.

Take care of yourself

Grief does not have a schedule, and the months after the service are often harder than the days immediately following the death -- when the busyness fades and the loss settles in. Give yourself permission to move slowly through the administrative tasks. Ask for help. Lean on the people around you.

For resources on grief support, peer groups, and counseling, see grief support resources.

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Printable Checklist

Immediate (first 24 hours)

• Notify immediate family
• Contact funeral home
• Secure home and arrange care for dependents and pets

Days 2-7

• Order death certificates (10-15 copies)
• Locate will, insurance policies, and financial documents
• Plan the service (burial or cremation, date, venue, officiant)
• Write and publish obituary
• Send death announcements
• Create online memorial page

First month

• Notify Social Security Administration
• Notify all banks and financial institutions
• File life insurance claims
• Notify health, home, and auto insurance
• Notify employer and handle benefits
• Cancel subscriptions and memberships
• Handle digital accounts (memorialize, close, or transfer)
• Notify DMV, passport office, voter registration
• Submit mail forwarding request
• Consult estate attorney if probate is needed

Ongoing

• Send thank-you notes after the service
• File final tax return (due April 15 of following year)
• File estate income tax return if applicable
• Distribute estate assets per the will
• Take care of yourself

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the very first thing to do when someone dies?

Call whoever is appropriate for the setting: your hospice nurse if you had hospice care, 911 if the death was unexpected at home, or the hospital staff if you're in a facility. The first call sets everything else in motion — they will guide you on next steps, including arranging transport and getting a death certificate started.

How many death certificates do you actually need?

Order more than you think — most families need between 10 and 15 certified copies. Banks, insurance companies, government agencies, and the probate court each typically require their own original. Getting additional copies weeks later is time-consuming and can slow down the estate process significantly.

Do you have to call 911 if someone dies at home?

If the person was under hospice care, no — call your hospice nurse first. They will certify the death and coordinate with the funeral home. If the death was unexpected and no doctor was present, yes, call 911. Paramedics will come, and if the death appears natural, a medical examiner will certify it. This is standard procedure, not an investigation.

Who notifies Social Security when someone dies?

Usually the funeral home does this as part of their services. If they don't, you'll need to call the SSA directly. It's important to act promptly — any Social Security payment issued for the month of death must be returned. A surviving spouse or dependent children may qualify for survivor benefits.

How long does it take to settle an estate after someone dies?

A straightforward estate with a clear will, few assets, and cooperative beneficiaries can close in 6–9 months. Complex estates — those with real estate in multiple states, business interests, disputes among heirs, or no will — often take 1–2 years or longer. Hiring an estate attorney early shortens the process and reduces the chance of costly mistakes.

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You Do Not Have to Do This Alone

If this list feels overwhelming, it is because it is a lot -- and you are managing it during one of the hardest times of your life. Delegate where you can. Ask a trusted friend or family member to help with the administrative tasks. Hire an estate attorney if the estate is complex.

The goal is not to do everything perfectly. The goal is to take care of the people and obligations that matter, one step at a time.