Guides for what comes after a death

Plain answers, each one linked to the official source we checked.

The obituary

What to put in, what to leave out and how to get the facts right when you're tired.

There's no national list of wills. You look in the places people keep them, then ask the people and offices who might have one.

If nobody can find one after a careful search, the estate usually goes through your state's rules for people without a will.

Most trusts never go through a court, so there's usually no public record to search.

Use the free NAIC locator first, then ask employers and check unclaimed property. Paid searches come last, if at all.

Searching is free, and you never need to pay a finder. Check every state where they lived or worked.

Start with old employers. The plan or its successor usually holds the records.

Treasury Hunt is gone, but lost bonds can still be claimed, and small estates may not need a court.

First find out whether there's a box. Then the rules depend on your state and the bank.

You can't freeze a dead person's credit file, but you can have it marked deceased. You only need to tell one bureau.

Generally no. Debts are paid from the estate, apart from exceptions such as co-signers.

There's no official number. Count the companies and offices that will ask for one, then add a few spares.

Their mail is one of the best ways to find accounts and policies, so keep reading it.

The funeral home usually reports the death. A spouse or some children may qualify for a one-time $255 payment.