The loss of a loved one is a difficult and confusing time. It can be quite sudden or expected due to illness or age. Often people do not know what to do when someone dies. Therefore we have put together a general check list for you to remember various items. Each item will have more or less importance for you depending on your situation.
- Notify close family and/or friends
- If the person died at home or work, first call 911. Any any death occurring without a physician or medical personnel in attendance must be reported to the police and an investigation held. After the coroner's examination, the body will either be transported to the morgue for autopsy or to the funeral home of your choice, depending on the circumstances of death.
- If the person died at a hospital, the staff will usually take care of some arrangements. They may assist you in: transporting the body, obtaining a death certificate, arranging the service, preparing the obituary and offering grief support or recommending additional resources.
- Access the location for your loved one's last wishes (e.g. living will and/or will). Perhaps they left a Letter of Instruction. You will want to find out if in their will there were any specific arrangements desired by the deceased (e.g. services, burial or cremation, organ donation). Ensure the deceased's lawyer has been contacted (if they have one). Their lawyer will need to be informed because of the deceased's will and they may have additional information on your loved one's last wishes.
- Check on applicable policies in order to pay for the services (e.g. prepaid funeral insurance or Payable-on-Death bank accounts). Also, check for any death benefits which may apply, for reference see Death Benefits.
- If the person has not pre-planned their funeral, you will need to make a number of decisions, such as determining whether the person will be buried or cremated.
If you would like your loved one to be buried, you will have a variety of decisions to make, such as which cemetery, site and type of grave stone.
If you would like your loved one to be cremated, you will have a variety of decisions to make, such as what type of urn and where you might like to have your ashes scattered.
- Determine what type of services to have for the deceased
- Select a funeral service provider to make arrangements (either funeral or cremation). To find a funeral service in your area, see Funeral Service Provider Search and for tips to choosing a funeral service, see How to Select a Funeral Service Provider and Services
- Gather all all important papers, see Checklist: Important Documents and bank safe deposit box keys.
- Notify the deceased's religious leader (e.g. clergy, rabbi) to provide guidance and to make arrangements for the service. If your loved one belonged to a specific religion, review what their customs are for last arrangements and plan how you would like to accordingly. For reference, see Religion
- Determine if your loved one would have preferred people to donate to a specific non-profit or cause rather than sending flowers or other items. For reference, see Donations in Memory
- Contact florists. For reference, see Flowers
- Create announcement for newspaper. For reference, see Obituaries
- Prepare a list of where your loved one's obituary should be publicized. For reference, see Where to Publicize Your Obituary
- Call and/or send announcements to deceased's family, friends and colleagues. Locate their address book which might be in a book (paper) form or digitally store on their phone or computer.
- Notify your loved one's employer. Find out if a pension or retiree health benefits are affected. If your spouse was keeping a 401k account there, you probably will inherit it. You can decide whether to roll a 401k balance to an IRA or keep it with the former employer if that is permitted.
- Inform the deceased person's affiliations i.e. professional and social organizations.
- Inform the deceased's financial planner, as well as, 401ks and pension plans
- Request the death certificate - for legal purposes. Typically you can get this from the funeral home or local health department. You'll need these for renaming and transferring investment accounts, collecting life insurance, etc.
- Notify your loved one's insurance agent. Notify them of your spouse's death. If a trust is the beneficiary and you are the beneficiary of the of the trust, notify the trustee.
- Inform any pension providers for your loved one
- Notify Social Security Administration of your loved one's passing (800-772-1213). Your spouse's benefits will stop, but you may get a survivor's benefit.
- Contact the Department of Veterans Affairs (800-827-1000) if your spouse served in the military. Check to see if you are entitled to a pension or death benefits.
- Call your state's department of motor vehicles to cancel your spouse's driver's licence and change the title on any vehicles.
- Contact creditors. These include lenders and credit card issuers. Pay down high-interest rate debts first, but don't leave yourself without cash. In some cases, loan deferral may be possible. Check with the creditor.
- Note: This is a difficult time for you and your loved ones. Be easy on yourself. It will take time to heal. Remember to take care of yourself: get enough sleep, drink water, eat healthy and try to get a little exercise - even if it is a light walk.
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