When Someone Dies
What to Do
Right Now.
Step by step. No jargon. No paid gate. Start with the first three actions, then use the rest when you're ready. Your progress saves in this browser, so other people who use this device may be able to see it.
If this is an emergency: Call 911. This guide is for the administrative and emotional process after a death. Not a medical emergency. Need a professional right now? →
If you're the one who's dying: this list is written to you instead →
The short answer
Three things matter in the first hours. Get the death legally pronounced: call 911 if it was unexpected and at home, and let hospice or facility staff handle it otherwise. Choose a funeral home or crematory to take the body when you're ready; there's no deadline today. Tell the people who need to hear it from you. Everything else waits, and the checklist below runs in order.
Reviewed August 2026 · State rules differ; every step links to your state where it matters · Source: USAGov
MORTL: When Someone Dies
mortl.com/when-someone-dies
Right Now · 0 to 24 hours
The First 24 Hours
Start with safety, the required local response, and the people who can help. The exact process depends on where and how the death occurred.
The rules depend on the state.
Death certificate deadlines, cremation requirements, and probate thresholds vary. Pick the relevant state for this checklist with reviewed rules and links to official sources.
From The MORTL Edit
Read when you’re ready.
How to Get a Death Certificate, and What It Costs in Your State
8 min read →Your First Funeral: What to Expect, In Order
6 min read →"Nobody Told Me There Would Be This Much Paperwork"
8 min read →Grief Isn’t Linear. Stop Pretending It Is.
7 min read →What Does an Executor Actually Do?
10 min read →Social Security Survivor Benefits: What Your Family Is Owed
9 min read →Complicated Grief: When Mourning Doesn't Follow the Rules
11 min read →Hospice: What Nobody Tells You Until You're In It
9 min read →How to Talk to Your Kids About Death (Without Traumatizing Them)
8 min read →What Happens to Your Digital Life When You Die
9 min read →The Board
When you're ready, say their name.
Your Person is a page of names readers sent us. Their name is enough. Add a photo, their song, or one line about who they were. A human reads every entry before it appears, and the board doesn't ask how anyone died.
Put your person on the board →The Questions Everyone Has
Asked in the first week, answered straight.
These are the questions people type into a search bar at 2am after a death. Short answers here, full walkthroughs above.
Who do I call first when someone dies at home?
If there's any chance the person is alive or anyone is in danger, call 911. For an unexpected death at home, contact local emergency services and follow their instructions. For an expected death under hospice care, call the hospice number and follow the care plan. Do not move the person unless a responder directs you or safety requires it. Procedures for pronouncement, investigation, and release vary by location and circumstance.
How many death certificates do I need?
There's no reliable number for every estate. Ask each insurer, bank, retirement plan, title office, and government agency whether it needs a certified copy, will return one, or accepts another form of proof. The funeral provider or local vital-records office can explain ordering, fees, and processing time where the death occurred.
When do I notify Social Security?
Funeral homes generally report deaths to the Social Security Administration when they have the person's Social Security number, but confirm the report. If the funeral home didn't report it, contact Social Security promptly. Ask the agency how it will handle any payment issued after death and whether a spouse, child, or other eligible person can apply for survivor benefits.
Am I responsible for their debts?
A debt doesn't become yours solely because someone died or because you're related. Personal liability can depend on whether you co-signed, jointly borrowed, guaranteed payment, have responsibility under state marital-property law, or fall under another specific rule. Ask the collector to identify the legal basis and provide the account documents before paying from personal funds or agreeing to new terms.
How fast do I have to make funeral decisions?
Timing depends on where the person died, whether an investigation or donation is involved, local disposition rules, and the provider's holding capacity and fees. Ask the hospital, coroner, medical examiner, hospice team, or funeral provider what deadline actually applies before assuming you must decide immediately. The Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule requires covered funeral providers to answer price questions by telephone, so compare the same items before signing when time allows.
See the full first-week checklist →What if I can't afford the funeral?
NFDA's 2023 member survey reported an $8,300 national median for a funeral with viewing and burial. Cemetery interment, a monument or marker, and cash-advance charges weren't included. Ask for an itemized General Price List and compare direct cremation, immediate burial, ceremony, cemetery, and third-party charges separately. County assistance, veterans benefits, insurance, religious or community support, and payment options depend on eligibility and location. Spending less doesn't measure how much you cared about the person.
Do I need a lawyer to settle the estate?
Not every estate requires full legal representation. The available procedure and need for advice depend on state law, property ownership, debts, taxes, real estate, business interests, deadlines, and disputes. Check the current state and local court instructions. A limited consultation can help identify the correct process when authority or risk is unclear.
Find your state's rules →