After Death List

Your To-Do List After a Loved One Dies

Here is a list of essential things to do when someone close to you dies. This time can be very overwhelming and emotional. It is a good idea to read this checklist before a death occurs, in order to plan and understand the practical steps of this difficult process. It is also helpful to keep all the important information in one location and tell someone where it is kept. The words “deceased” and “decedent” mean “the person who died.” “Estate” is the property belonging to the person who died.

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IMMEDIATE STEPS

  • Call 911 right away if there is an unexpected death in your home. The medical team will help you figure out the next steps. If the deceased was receiving hospice care, call the hospice.
  • If a death is expected to happen at home soon, call your doctor or your hospice to discuss what to do when the end happens.
  • Most deaths occur in hospitals and other places such as nursing homes. Talk to the staff about their process.
  • Contact close family and/or friends of the deceased, the deceased’s doctor (if a hospice is not involved), and the deceased’s lawyer, if any. If the deceased cared for dependents (for example, grandchildren), make arrangements immediately for their care.
  • If you are the named "Designated Agent", you should arrange for funeral or memorial services, and burial or cremation. Most States require embalming if the body is held or transported more than 24 hours after death.
  • Death Certificates: You can order certified copies of the death certificate from the funeral director or your hospice. Often you can get them from the local Department of Health office in the county where the death occurred.
  • Generally, you will need one certified copy of the death certificate for each significant asset, such as cars, land, or bank accounts, for which you will need to transfer ownership. You may also need a certified copy for items such as life insurance policies, veterans’ survivor benefits, and annuities. Certified copies are expensive (approximately $20-$32 each, plus fees). Ask if a non-certified photocopy is allowed, or if the company would return the original certified copy to you so you could use it later.

Life and death planning checklist

IMMEDIATE STEPS

  • Durable Power of Attorney – Prepare a Limited or General Power of Attorney to handle your affairs and take effect if/when you become mentally disabled.
  • Health-Care Directive (or Living Will) – Write a description of your end-of-life wishes; deliver it to your doctor and spouse/family.
  • Physician’s Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) – Obtain orders from your doctor regarding the life-sustaining treatment you want or don’t want. Bright green (post in a visible location). They are intended for first responders.
  • Will – Prepare a document naming Beneficiaries and Personal Representatives; probate assets are distributed through the superior court.
  • Trust Agreement – Prepare a Trust Agreement or Will naming Beneficiaries and Trustees, and the non-probate assets that will be distributed outside court.
  • Organ Donation – If you choose, arrange to donate organs and tissues at your death.
  • Death With Dignity Process – If you choose, make arrangements with physicians and pharmacists so you can obtain life-ending medication when you have less than six months to live.
  • Designated Agent – Identify a person to take care of responsibilities immediately after your death.
  • Letter of Instructions – Prepare a Letter of Instructions that identifies your List of Key Contacts and Important Papers' location and spells out immediate responsibilities regarding your home, your bills, your pets, your funeral/burial/cremation, etc.
  • Key Contacts – Make a list of the names and contact information for closest family and friends, lawyers, accountants, doctors, etc. Label them: “sibling,” “friend,” “attorney,” etc.)