Death To Do List - Checklist

Know the person's wishes Know the location of the will, birth certificate, marriage and divorce certificates, Social Security information, life-insurance policies, financial documents, and keys to safe deposit box or home safe. Ask the person's wishes about funeral arrangements, organ donation, and burial or cremation.

Get a legal pronouncement of death. Tell friends and family. Find out about existing funeral and burial plans. Make funeral, burial or cremation arrangements. Secure the property. Provide care for pets. Forward mail. Notify your family member's employer.

Notify your spouse's employer. Find out about benefits due to beneficiaries. Check on retirement or pension plans. If you or your children were covered through your spouse's medical insurance, ask about continuing coverage.

Request death certificates. The very first step is to contact the Vital Statistics office in the state in which the death occurred and obtain several certified copies of the death certificate. Probate the estate. Notify financial institutions. Contact service providers. Notify government agencies. More from Credit.com.

Make funeral arrangements. Assemble your team. Apply for government benefits. Contact current and past employers. File life insurance claims. Contact banks, credit unions, etc. Close other accounts. Revise wills and powers of attorney.

Get a legal pronouncement of death. Arrange for transportation of the body. Notify the person's doctor or the county coroner. Notify close family and friends. Handle care of dependents and pets. Call the person's employer, if he or she was working.

To Do After the Funeral. Get duplicate death certificates. Send thank-you notes. Notify local Social Security office. Handle Medicare. Look into employment benefits. Stop health insurance. Notify life insurance companies.

Get a legal pronouncement of death. Arrange for organ donation, if applicable. Notify close friends and family. Decide what you'd like to do with your loved one's body and arrange transportation. Arrange care for any pets or dependents. Secure major property. Notify the person's employer.

Know the location of the will, birth certificate, marriage and divorce certificates, Social Security information, life-insurance policies, financial documents, and keys to safe deposit box or home safe. Ask the person's wishes about funeral arrangements, organ donation, and burial or cremation.

When a parent passes away, certain practical matters should be taken care of as soon as possible: 1. Contact the proper authorities to get a death certificate.If they died at home under hospice care, call the hospice agency, which will handle things from there.