What to Do When Someone Dies

If you are reading this, someone may have died and you are the person responsible for handling things. First: take a breath. You do not have to do everything today. This is an ordered list so you can move one step at a time.

In the first hours and days

These come first, before any account or legal task.

1. Get the legal pronouncement of death. In a hospital or hospice, staff handle this. At home, contact emergency services or the appropriate authority so a death certificate can be issued.
2. Care for dependents and pets. Make sure children, dependent adults, and animals are immediately safe and cared for.
3. Notify the closest people. Tell immediate family and the few people who need to know now. You do not need to notify everyone yet.
4. Secure the home and property. Lock up, bring in mail, and make sure the residence is not left obviously empty.

That is enough for the first day. The rest can wait.

In the first weeks

5. Obtain death certificates. You will need several certified copies. Funeral directors usually help order them; many institutions require an original.
6. Find the will and key documents. Locate the signed will, any trust documents, and instructions. If the person used LivingWill, this is also when you begin the access process described below.
7. Arrange the funeral or memorial. Check for written wishes first; they may be in the will or in a LivingWill vault note. Follow stated preferences where you can.
8. Notify essential organizations. Over the following weeks: employer, Social Security or relevant agencies, banks, insurers, and similar. Death certificates are usually required.
9. Do not rush to pay debts personally. Debts are generally paid from the estate, not from your own money. Avoid paying anything out of pocket before you understand the estate.

Beginning the LivingWill access process

If the person stored documents, letters, or videos with LivingWill, access does not happen instantly, and that is intentional.

The path, in brief:

• You submit a posthumous access claim as the designated person, such as the executor.
• The claim is verified, including confirmation of death and your identity and role.
• A 45 day waiting period applies after a verified claim before access is granted. This pause protects against fraud and mistakes during a vulnerable time.

Start this process early, because the waiting period runs in the background while you handle other tasks. See accessing the account and the 45 day waiting period.

What you do not have to carry alone

You do not have to be a lawyer. For anything legally complex, contested, or unclear, it is reasonable and often wise to get professional help, paid from the estate. Your job is to act honestly, keep records, and move steadily. You are allowed to do this slowly and to ask for help. The order above exists so you never have to hold the whole thing in your head at once.