What to do after someone dies
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The first few days. You don't have to rush most of this. A funeral home can usually handle the death certificates and tell Social Security. Choose a state above for your full list.
Get ready to search
Two things that make every other search easier.
- Order certified death certificates
- Gather what you'll need for the forms
Find the will
Where people keep wills, who to ask, and what to do with the original.
- Look through their papers at home
- Ask the people who might know
- Find and write to their lawyer
- Ask the probate court
- Check for a safe deposit box
- Know what to do with the original
Check for a trust
A trust can hold the house and accounts, and never goes through probate.
- Look for signs of a trust
- Ask who the trustee is
- Ask whether you are owed notice
Find life insurance
Free searches first, then the people and papers that often know.
- Run the free NAIC life insurance search
- Check your state insurance department
- Look for a policy in their papers
- Ask past employers and unions
- Decide whether the MIB search is worth $75
- Claim what you find
Find money and accounts
State treasuries, pensions, retirement plans, bonds and old bank accounts.
- Search the state unclaimed money office
- Search MissingMoney
- Check for a lost pension
- Look for 401(k)s and IRAs
- Look for savings bonds
- Find bank and credit union accounts
- Find investments and stock
- Check the smaller federal lists
Protect their identity
Stop new credit and cut the mail that invites fraud.
- Tell the three credit bureaus
- Stop marketing mail
- Redirect their mail
- Close subscriptions and online accounts
Report the death and settle up
The offices that need to hear from you.
- Make sure Social Security knows
- See if the small estate route applies
- Check the final tax return and refunds