When someone you love dies, grief and logistics arrive at the same moment. You're asked to make decisions and handle paperwork at the exact time you have the least capacity for either. It helps to have a clear list — not to rush you, but so nothing important slips, and so you can set aside everything that isn't urgent yet.
This guide walks through what to do when someone dies, organized into four phases: the first hours, the first days, the first weeks, and the lasting tribute. Work through it at your own pace, and delegate whatever you can.
The First Hours
Same dayGet a legal pronouncement of death
Nothing else can begin until death is formally pronounced. In a hospital or hospice, staff handle this automatically. If your loved one died at home without hospice care, call 911, and if they had a Do Not Resuscitate order, have it on hand.
Tell the people closest to you
Reach out to immediate family and a few trusted people who can help you make calls and share the load. You do not need to notify everyone right away — a small circle is enough for now.
Arrange care for dependents, pets, and the home
Make sure any children, dependent adults, or pets are looked after, and that the person's home is secured — lights, locks, mail, and perishable food.
Contact a funeral home or cremation provider
Choose a provider and arrange for your loved one to be transported into their care. If prepaid arrangements exist, this is the time to mention them. You don't have to finalize service details on this first call.
The First Days
Days 1–3Find important documents and wishes
Locate the will, any written end-of-life or funeral wishes, prepaid funeral contracts, life insurance policies, and account information. These guide nearly every decision that follows. Tools like Life Organizer can help you keep all of this in one secure place.
Order certified copies of the death certificate
Request at least 10 certified copies — banks, insurers, Social Security, the DMV, and property offices each need an original. Your funeral home will usually order these for you.
Plan the service and write the obituary
Decide on the type of gathering, choose speakers and readings, and draft an obituary. Our step-by-step obituary guide and celebration of life planning guide walk you through both.
Create a Lasting Memorial
When you're readyCreate a memorial tribute page on TributeWell
Before the service, set up an online memorial page. It gives your family one calm place to share funeral details, and it lets friends and relatives everywhere contribute photos, videos, and written memories — no accounts or apps needed. Display its QR code at the service so guests can add their memories on the spot, then keep the page online for years so people can return and remember. It becomes the full tribute an obituary never has room to hold.
Create a Memorial Page →Share the memorial with everyone who loved them
Add the page link to the obituary, funeral program, and prayer cards, and text it to family and friends. It's the simplest way to spread news and service details without dozens of individual calls — and to invite memories from people you'd never think to contact.
Legal & Financial Tasks
Weeks 1–6Notify agencies, employers, and institutions
Inform the Social Security Administration, the person's employer, banks and credit card companies, insurers, and any agency issuing benefits or pensions. Each will explain their own process for closing or transferring accounts.
Secure accounts and prevent identity theft
Notify the three credit bureaus, cancel or redirect subscriptions and utilities, and forward the person's mail. This protects the estate and reduces the risk of fraud.
Begin settling the estate
Work with the named executor and, if needed, an estate attorney to pay outstanding debts, file final taxes, and distribute assets according to the will. This part can take months — that's normal, and it's fine to move slowly.
Note: this checklist is general guidance, not legal or financial advice. Estate and probate rules vary by state and situation — for anything involving the will, taxes, or asset distribution, it's worth consulting a qualified attorney or advisor.
Give everyone who loved them a place to gather
Create a beautiful online memorial where family and friends can share photos, videos, and memories — and find service details in one place. Set up in minutes.
Create Your Memorial →Free trial · No credit card required · No accounts needed for guests
Common Questions
What is the very first thing to do when someone dies?
Get an official pronouncement of death. In a hospital or under hospice care, staff handle this. If the person died at home without hospice, call 911. Nothing else — notifications, arrangements, paperwork — can proceed until death has been formally pronounced.
How many copies of the death certificate should I order?
Most families need 10 or more certified copies. Banks, insurers, the Social Security Administration, the DMV, and property offices each typically require an original certified copy. Your funeral home usually helps you order them.
Who do I need to notify when someone dies?
Close family first, then the funeral home, the person's employer, Social Security, banks and credit card companies, insurers, and any benefit-issuing agencies. An online memorial page helps you share news and service details with the wider circle at once, instead of many individual calls.
How soon do I need to plan the funeral?
There's no legal deadline, though most services are held within one to two weeks. Some religious or cultural traditions call for a service within days. Take the time you need — a meaningful service and a lasting memorial matter more than speed.
Do I really have to do all of this at once?
No. This checklist is ordered by urgency for that reason. The first-hours tasks are genuinely time-sensitive; most legal and financial work can wait days or weeks. Delegate what you can and move at a pace you can manage.