Steps to Take When a Loved One Dies

Make burial arrangements 

If some time is likely to pass before burial, for example, if there will be a delay prior to a special ceremony and burial in a veteran’s cemetery, make arrangements with your funeral home to store your loved one’s remains until the service.

Obtain ten original certified death certificates

After someone passes away, their death should be registered with the local or state vital records office, which can then issue official death certificates. A state-licensed funeral director or coroner typically prepares and files the death certificate with the state. A death certificate is often required to claim life insurance benefits, close bank accounts, transfer titles, and take care of other matters connected to your loved one’s estate.

Ascertain the immediate needs of beneficiaries and expenses that must soon be paid

Determine which of your loved one’s accounts contains cash that can be accessed for the beneficiaries’ needs and other expenses. The last thing you want is for an item to be repossessed or the electricity turned off due to non-payment.

Arrange care for animals

If your loved one had pets or other animals, you should immediately arrange care for them. Your loved one’s will or trust may name the person your family member has chosen to care for them, but if there was no will or trust, you may need to arrange for someone to look after the animals until a caretaker can be determined.

Inspect your loved one’s home to make sure it is secure

If your family member owned a home, walk around the home to make sure any points of entry are locked and that there are no maintenance issues that need to be addressed. Notify the police department that the home will be vacant so police can patrol the area more frequently.

Change the locks

It is important to change the locks on the home to ensure that neighbors, service providers (maids, dog walkers, etc.), and even family members who had keys are no longer able to enter the home. This is important to ensure that no one prematurely removes any property from the home, even if they are well-intentioned.

Remove valuables from the home and store them in a secure place

Jewelry, cash, works of art, furs, and other especially valuable property should be kept in a safe place until the estate or trust is administered and the items are transferred to the proper beneficiary. Check on the insurance coverage for these items.

Secure vehicles

Any cars your family member owned should be locked. No one should drive the car, and the odometer should be checked to determine the mileage at the time your loved one passed away. If the car is parked on the street or in a driveway, you should notify the police to keep a closer eye on it. Insurance on the car should be maintained.

Arrange for the home and yard to be maintained

Continue lawn care and general home maintenance to ensure that the house does not become an eyesore and a target for thieves.

Discontinue services that are no longer needed, and hire any new personnel required by a beneficiary or dependent

If your deceased loved one had domestic help, security guards, or assistants that are no longer needed, stop the services after checking any contracts or written agreements. If a beneficiary or dependent now needs the help of an assistant or maid, hire the necessary workers to ensure they receive the proper care.

Leave the heat or air conditioning on

To prevent any problems that may arise as a result of very high or very low temperatures, it is important to continue to heat and cool the home. In addition, if the home is vacant during cold winter months, a faucet should be turned on to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting.

If required, alert local officials of the vacant home

In some jurisdictions, a higher tax rate is applied to vacant homes, so in those places it is important to notify the city if the home is vacant and part of an estate administration.

Contact agencies to cancel benefits

If your family member was receiving Social Security, veterans, or other benefits, notify the relevant agency of the death. Do not cash any benefits checks that arrive after death, and if any benefits are received covering a period after death, they should be returned. Depending on the timing of your family member’s death, the government agency may automatically withdraw the last electronic payment.

Cancel subscriptions and monthly service agreements

If your loved one was receiving a newspaper, magazine, or other regular subscription or monthly service, it is important to cancel them, and if applicable, request a refund.

Cancel credit cards and charge accounts

Notify all of your loved one’s credit card companies of the death and close the accounts as soon as possible. It is also important to notify all three major credit bureaus of the death to avoid identity theft.

Locate insurance policies

Find all your loved one’s insurance policies. Call the homeowner’s insurance company to confirm that there is coverage for fire, flood, and/or other needed items as part of the homeowner’s insurance policy. In addition, locate your family member’s life insurance policies, which may have been issued by alumni associations, travel clubs, credit card companies, trade associations, etc.

Gather personal records

Locate all bank statements, checkbooks, canceled checks, and at least the past three years of income tax returns.

Determine if anyone owed money to your loved one

While gathering the needed personal records, check to see if there are any documents reflecting debts owed to the deceased individual. Contact those individuals to collect the amounts owed.