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The short answer
Tell family and close people first, then the funeral home. In the first weeks: Social Security (the funeral home usually reports it, confirm they did), the employer, banks and card issuers, insurers, the landlord or mortgage servicer, and the three credit bureaus. Nearly every institution asks for a certified death certificate, so ask each one what it needs before you order copies.
Reviewed August 2026 · The order holds everywhere in the US; each institution sets its own paperwork. · Sources: Social Security Administration, USAGov
The full checklist for after a death →How to close each kind of account →
Before you start
A checkable list of common organizations and people to notify after a death, grouped by priority, with progress saved in your browser. Work through the list in order and check off each institution as you go. Ask every one what proof it needs before you mail anything, because requirements differ and certified copies cost money.
See the full after-death checklist →Free tool
The list nobody hands you, in the order that matters. Check things off as you go. Start with the first group, then confirm any state, benefit, insurance, or court deadlines that apply.
Your checks are saved in this browser and aren’t sent to MORTL or tied to your name. Other people who use this browser may be able to see them. This is general information, not legal advice.
Timing depends on the circumstances. Begin with the people and services that are needed now.
Report the death, confirm what changes, and ask about survivor benefits.
Accounts to close, claims to file, cards to stop.
Follow each bureau’s deceased-consumer process and keep confirmation records.
These can often wait, but protect occupied property, mail, utilities, and insurance when delay could cause harm.
The full walkthrough
For who reports what, the survivor benefits, and the credit-bureau fraud step in plain language, read who to notify when someone dies and how to close accounts after a death.