Last updated: August 2026
Knowing what to do after a death is something almost no one feels prepared for — and in the fog of grief, even simple tasks feel enormous. The good news: very little has to happen immediately, and almost nothing has to happen perfectly. This step-by-step checklist covers what needs attention in the first hours, the first two weeks, and the months that follow, so you can handle things in order without missing anything important.
First 24–48 Hours
- Get a legal pronouncement of death. In a hospital or hospice this is handled for you. At home, call the hospice nurse if one was involved — otherwise call 911.
- Notify immediate family and close friends. You don’t have to make every call yourself; ask others to spread the word.
- Arrange care for dependents and pets.
- Secure the home: lock up, remove obvious valuables if the house will sit empty, and check that nothing (stove, water) was left on.
- Look for funeral instructions. Check the will, a letter of instruction, or any prepaid funeral plan before making arrangements.
- Contact a funeral home to transport the body and begin arrangements — burial, cremation, or donation, per their wishes.
First Two Weeks
- Order certified death certificates — at least 10 copies. The funeral home usually orders these for you. Nearly every institution will want one.
- Locate the original will (and any trust documents). Common places: a home safe, a filing cabinet, an attorney’s office, or a safe-deposit box.
- Notify Social Security (the funeral home often reports the death, but confirm) and ask about survivor benefits. Notify the VA if the person was a veteran, and their employer about final pay and benefits.
- Notify banks, insurers, and pension providers. Life insurance claims can usually be filed right away with a death certificate.
- Keep the household running: keep utilities and homeowner’s insurance active, forward the mail, and keep paying the mortgage if there is one — from estate funds where possible.
- Watch for scams. Fraudsters read obituaries. Be skeptical of unsolicited calls about debts or “unclaimed property,” and consider notifying the credit bureaus.
Weeks 2–6: Starting the Legal Process
- Determine whether probate is required. Assets with beneficiary designations, joint accounts with survivorship, and living-trust assets skip probate. Most everything else goes through it — here’s what probate is and how it works.
- File the will with the probate court in the county where the person lived. The named executor petitions for formal appointment. (New to the role? See our complete executor checklist.)
- Decide whether you need a lawyer. Simple estates often don’t; disputes and complex assets usually do — here’s how to decide.
- Open an estate bank account once the executor is appointed, and route estate money through it — never through personal accounts.
The Months That Follow
- Inventory assets and pay valid debts from the estate — not from anyone’s personal funds.
- Handle the house: maintain and insure it until the family decides whether to keep or sell it. If selling, our guide to selling an inherited house covers authority, taxes, and timing.
- File final tax returns for the person (and the estate, if it earns income).
- Distribute the estate and close probate — typically 6–12 months after filing, longer for complex or contested estates.
If Money Gets Tight While the Estate Is Open
Funerals, travel, mortgage payments on an inherited home — the expenses arrive months before the inheritance does, because probate routinely takes six months to a year. If you’re an heir in that squeeze, an heir advance can convert part of your expected inheritance into cash within about 24 hours — no credit check, no monthly payments, repaid by the estate when probate closes. It costs a flat fee, so it’s worth weighing honestly; if you can comfortably wait, waiting keeps more of your inheritance intact.
FAQs
What has to be done immediately after a death?
Only a few things: a legal pronouncement of death, notifying close family, care for dependents and pets, securing the home, and engaging a funeral home. Nearly everything else can wait days or weeks.
How many death certificates do I need?
Order at least 10 certified copies. Banks, insurers, government agencies, and title companies each typically require their own.
Who pays the funeral costs?
Ultimately the estate, in most cases — funeral expenses are a priority claim. In practice a family member often pays up front and is reimbursed once estate funds are available.
When does probate have to be started?
There’s no need to file the day after a funeral, but don’t sit on it for months — most states expect the will to be filed promptly, and nothing in the estate can be legally distributed until the court appoints an executor.
What if we can’t find the will?
Check with the person’s attorney, their bank (safe-deposit box), and the county probate court (some states allow wills to be lodged in advance). If no will exists, the estate passes by state intestacy law — here’s how inheritance works without a will.
This checklist is general information, not legal advice. For estate-specific questions, a probate attorney is worth the conversation.
Facing expenses while the estate is tied up in probate? Apply in 2 minutes for a flat-fee, no-credit-check inheritance advance, or call 1-888-861-5744.
Related Reading
- What Does an Executor Do? A Complete Checklist
- How Probate Loans Work: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
- How to Prepare for a Probate Advance: A Step-by-Step Guide
Written by John Marsano
John Marsano leads Advanced My Inheritance, a national inheritance funding company that has advanced more than $10 million to heirs waiting on probate. He hosts the Probate Matters series and his commentary on inheritance and estate funding has been featured in Entrepreneur, Yahoo Finance, and GOBankingRates. He writes about probate, executor duties, and the options heirs have while estates are tied up in court. About Advanced My Inheritance