Who to Notify When Someone Dies: A Complete Checklist

After someone dies, there are dozens of people and institutions that need to be told -- and the list feels impossibly long at the worst possible moment. This guide organizes those notifications by urgency and type so you can work through them without having to figure out what comes next.

The first 24 hours: immediate family by phone, then a funeral home. In the first week: life insurance, Social Security, and the estate attorney. Over the following weeks: banks, the IRS, and subscriptions. Most institutions need a certified death certificate -- order ten to fifteen copies before you start making calls.

Not every item on this list applies to every situation. Use it as a starting point and set aside what is not relevant.

For the broader picture of what to do in the days after a death, see what to do when someone dies. For help with death announcement wording, see death announcement wording.

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What You Will Need

Before you start making calls, gather as much of the following as you can. Most institutions will ask for some combination of these:

• Full legal name of the deceased
• Date of birth and Social Security number
• Date of death
• Death certificates (order 10 to 15 certified copies -- banks, insurers, and government agencies all require originals, not photocopies)
• Account numbers (bank accounts, insurance policies, credit cards, utilities)
• The will and any estate planning documents
• Contact information for the estate attorney or executor, if applicable

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Immediate Notifications (Within 24 Hours)

These are the people and entities that need to know right away.

Immediate family members

Spouse, children, and parents should be told as soon as possible -- ideally in person or by phone, not by text or social media. If you are not the person making these calls, designate someone who is.

Other close family members

Siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles. Again, phone before social media. Close family should not learn about a death from a post.

A doctor or medical professional

If the person died at home (not in a hospital or hospice), a physician must certify the death. Call the person's doctor or, if none is available, call 911. Emergency services can also direct you from there.

Employer or school

If the deceased was employed, the employer needs to know so they can handle payroll, benefits, and scheduling. If the deceased had young children in school, the school should know so teachers and counselors can be prepared.

Close friends

The people closest to the deceased should hear from the family directly, before any public announcement.

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Within the First Week

Funeral home

If you have not already arranged this, contact a funeral home. They will take custody of the body, guide you through the immediate legal and logistical steps, and file the death certificate. Funeral professionals looking for ways to help families share news and collect condolences can find tools at memorial pages for funeral homes. See how to plan a funeral and funeral costs for more.

Attorney and executor of the estate

If there is a will, the named executor needs to know as soon as possible. If there is an estate attorney, contact them early -- they will guide the probate process and help you understand which notifications require legal action.

Life insurance companies

Contact any life insurance providers and begin the claims process. You will need the policy number and a certified death certificate. Ask specifically about beneficiary designations and the timeline for payout.

The Social Security Administration

If the deceased was receiving Social Security benefits, the SSA must be notified. The funeral home often does this as part of standard services -- confirm with them. Benefits paid in the month of death may need to be returned.

If the deceased's surviving spouse or dependent children may be eligible for a survivor benefit ($255 one-time benefit or monthly survivor payments), initiate that application as well. Contact SSA at 1-800-772-1213.

Medicare and Medicaid

If the deceased was enrolled, contact the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to stop benefits and prevent fraudulent claims. The Social Security notification may trigger this automatically -- confirm.

Veterans Affairs (if applicable)

If the deceased was a veteran, notify the VA to stop any benefits. Also ask about burial benefits: veterans may be eligible for burial in a national cemetery, a grave marker, and a burial flag at no cost. See honoring a veteran at a memorial.

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Financial Institutions

Banks and credit unions

Notify all banks where the deceased had accounts. Bring a certified death certificate. The process varies depending on whether the account was individual, joint, or held in trust.

• Joint accounts typically pass directly to the surviving account holder with minimal paperwork.
• Individual accounts may need to go through probate before the estate can access them.
• Payable-on-death accounts transfer to the named beneficiary outside probate.

Ask each bank what documentation they need. Do not close accounts immediately -- some may be needed to pay ongoing bills during the estate settlement process.

Investment and retirement accounts

Contact brokers or financial advisors managing any investment portfolios, IRAs, or 401(k)s. Accounts with named beneficiaries transfer directly; others go through the estate.

Credit card companies

Notify each credit card company of the death. Individual accounts in the deceased's name only should be closed. Joint accounts remain open for the surviving account holder. Ask about any outstanding balances and the process for settling them.

Mortgage and lenders

If the deceased had a mortgage or other loans, contact the lenders. A surviving co-borrower typically continues the loan; an estate-only situation may trigger different terms. Do not stop payments until you have spoken with the lender -- missed payments can complicate estate proceedings.

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Government and Benefits

Internal Revenue Service

The deceased's final income tax return must be filed. Contact a tax professional or the estate attorney for guidance. If the deceased had an ongoing business, there may be additional filings required.

State revenue agency

Similar to the IRS, the state tax agency may require a final return and may have estate or inheritance tax implications depending on your state.

Pension providers

If the deceased had a pension from an employer or union, contact the plan administrator. Survivor benefits may be available for a spouse.

Department of Motor Vehicles

Notify the DMV to cancel the deceased's driver's license. In most states, the vehicle's title transfers through the estate.

Voter registration office

Many states have processes for removing deceased voters from rolls. Contact the local county clerk or elections office.

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Utilities, Subscriptions, and Ongoing Services

These do not need to happen immediately, but should be addressed within the first month.

Utilities

If the deceased lived alone and the estate will be selling or vacating the property, contact utility providers to transfer or cancel service. If a surviving family member continues to live there, services may be transferred to their name.

• Electricity, gas, water
• Internet and cable
• Phone (mobile and landline)

Recurring subscriptions

Work through the deceased's email and bank statements to identify recurring charges:

• Streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, etc.)
• Magazine or newspaper subscriptions
• Gym memberships
• Cloud storage or software subscriptions
• Amazon Prime, Costco, or similar memberships

Contact each to cancel. Many will require a death certificate or at minimum a written request.

Professional memberships and licenses

If the deceased held professional licenses, union memberships, or industry association memberships, contact those organizations to cancel or transfer as appropriate.

Alumni and charitable organizations

If the deceased had relationships with universities or charities -- particularly if they were regular donors -- a heads-up allows those organizations to memorialize appropriately and update their records.

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Online Accounts and Digital Presence

Email accounts

Most email providers have processes for deceased account holders. Google allows family members to request account closure or download data. Apple iCloud accounts can be closed with a death certificate. Check each provider's specific policy.

Social media

• Facebook: Can be memorialized (converted to a memorial profile) or removed. A designated Legacy Contact can manage the account. See how to memorialize a Facebook account.
• Instagram: Can be memorialized or removed. Requires submitting a request to Meta.
• Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and others: Each has its own process for account removal or memorialization.

See social media after death for a full guide on managing digital accounts.

Online banking and financial apps

Any accounts not already addressed through the bank should be closed. Note usernames and passwords if you have access, as these accounts may hold funds.

Password managers

If the deceased used a password manager, this is the key to unlocking other accounts. Check the estate attorney's guidance on accessing these accounts legally.

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Neighbors and Community

These notifications are not legally required, but they matter.

• Neighbors, especially close ones who may have had a relationship with the deceased
• Place of worship, if the deceased was part of a religious community
• Community groups, volunteer organizations, hobby clubs the person was part of
• Local businesses where the person was a regular (a barber, a diner, a bookshop) -- these relationships mattered to the person, and the people there will want to know

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A Note on Pacing

This list is long, and you do not have to do it all at once. In the first 24 to 48 hours, focus on immediate family and the funeral home. In the first week, address life insurance, Social Security, and the estate attorney. Let the rest follow in the weeks after.

If the estate is complex, consider working with an estate attorney who can manage many of these notifications on the family's behalf.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does the funeral home handle government notifications?

Funeral homes routinely notify the Social Security Administration of a death as part of their standard process. Confirm with your funeral director what they handle and what remains for the family. They do not typically handle bank notifications, insurance claims, or subscription cancellations.

How many certified death certificates will I need?

Order more than you think you need. Each bank, insurance company, and government agency typically requires a certified original (not a photocopy). Ten to fifteen copies is a reasonable starting point. Ordering additional copies later is possible but adds time and cost.

What happens if I forget to cancel a subscription?

Most subscriptions will continue billing until cancelled. Once you identify an account, contact the company with a death certificate and request a refund of any charges made after the death. Most companies will accommodate this.

Who handles notifications if there is no family?

If there is no immediate family, the executor named in the will takes on this role. If there is no will and no family, a court-appointed administrator manages the estate, including notifications.

Can I notify people on behalf of the deceased's estate by email?

Many institutions now accept email notifications, especially when combined with a scanned death certificate. Others still require a certified original by mail or in person. Call ahead and ask what each institution requires before mailing documents.

When should I send a formal death notice or announcement?

A death notice or announcement can be sent to broader contacts (colleagues, extended family, community members) once immediate family has been notified in person or by phone. Most families send these within a few days of the death. For wording, see death announcement wording.

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Online Memorial: A Central Place for the News

One of the practical benefits of an online memorial page is that it creates a single place people can go to learn what happened, see photos, read about the person's life, and share memories -- reducing the number of individual calls and messages the family needs to make. Creating one takes a few minutes and can be shared with a link as soon as it is ready.