What To Do After Funeral Services

  • Call the person’s employer, if he or she was working. Request info about benefits and any pay due. Ask whether there was a life-insurance policy through the company.
  • Start an obituary. Your funeral director can help you write an obituary, or you may choose to write it yourself. Have at least one person proofread the obituary before it is submitted for publication.
  • Order the number of Death Certificates you will need (see the section below)
  • File Life Insurance or final expenses policy claims
  • Meet with probate attorney
  • Execute the will
  • Please check with Social Security for funeral cost reimbursement
  • Check on current debts/bills that need to be settled
  • Begin transferring or closing accounts
  • Notify all legal and financial interests (see the Life Planning page)
  • Send Thank-you notes
  • Update financial and legal documents as appropriate if you were a beneficiary of the person who died, or the person who died was a beneficiary on someone else’s documents.

Death Certificates

You will need to order multiple copies of the death certificate so that you can present them to various organizations—we suggest ordering at minimum 20 copies through the funeral home. Delivery time of the certified death certificate will vary by city, county or state.

Organizations that may require a Death Certificate

  • Probate court to probate the Will
  • Insurance companies to claim or modify life, property, auto, mortgage contracts or annuities
  • Land titles office to transfer real estate
  • State Department of Motor Vehicles – to transfer vehicles, RVs, boats, etc.
  • Brokerage offices to transfer, redeem or liquidate investments and securities
  • Financial institutions to transfer or liquidate accounts, bonds, safe deposit boxes, etc.
  • Credit card companies to cancel credit cards and claim benefits
  • Credit bureaus (e.g.TranUnion, Experian, Equifax) to file notice of death
  • Social Security Administration to claim benefits
  • IRS to file terminal tax returns
  • Estate & trustee offices to complete estate settlement procedures
  • Deceased’s employer to claim benefits and final entitlements
  • Pension providers to claim final benefits
  • Membership, subscription or service providers to cancel services
  • Professional offices to close files and cancel future appointments
  • State/private health care office to cancel coverage
  • Social Security (800-772-1213; gov) to discuss ceasing benefits, obtaining survivor benefits and Medicare
  • Passport office to return and cancel passports
  • Veterans Affairs/Administration to issue benefits
  • Post Office to forward mail
    • Notify the post office of the death and the location to which mail should be forwarded. (Going through your loved one’s mail can help you become aware of bills, subscriptions or other accounts or services that should be canceled.)