What to Do Immediately After a Death Occurs: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Grief is heavy. It’s confusing. And right when you’re trying to process the biggest loss, you’re hit with a million tiny tasks you never knew existed. It’s overwhelming, to say the least.

This isn’t a to-do list for a regular day. This is a compassionate checklist designed to help you navigate the first few hours and days after a death. We’ll walk through what to do, who to call, and how to get help. Take a deep breath. You can get through this, one step at a time.

The First Few Hours: What’s Happening Right Now

The very first thing you need to do is get an official pronouncement of death. Where you are when it happens makes a big difference.

• In a hospital or nursing home: Don’t worry, the medical staff has this covered. They’ll handle the paperwork and start the process for death certificates. This is the official starting line for everything else.
• At home with hospice care: Your hospice nurse is trained for this. They’re authorized to make the official declaration, so just let them do their job.
• Suddenly or unexpectedly at home: This is the one time you need to call 911 right away. An EMT or a doctor needs to officially declare the person dead. They might take the body to the hospital first, but the end result is the same: you get the official pronouncement you need to move forward.

You can’t do anything else—like call a funeral home or handle the will—until this is done. It’s the legal first step. For more on this, check out our guide on getting a legal pronouncement of death and understanding the death certificate.

The First Day: Telling People and Getting Help

Once it’s official, you have to start telling people. I know, it’s brutal. You don’t have to do it all yourself. In fact, you shouldn’t.

• Delegate. Pick one or two trusted people—a sibling, a close friend—and ask them to help you make calls. Start with immediate family, then move on to close friends and extended family. It helps keep the information consistent and keeps you from getting completely overwhelmed.
• Reach out. Don’t forget to tell neighbors, coworkers, and people from any social or church groups your loved one was a part of. Ask the people you’ve already called to help spread the word.
• Use online tools. If you’ve been using a platform like CaringBridge or posting updates on social media, you can use those to get the word out quickly. Just be thoughtful about it. A personal call is always best for someone really close before they see a public post. We have a whole article dedicated to this process, which you can find here: notifying family, friends, and employers after a death.

Unexpected Deaths: If the death was sudden or a bit of a mystery, a medical examiner or coroner will get involved. This is totally normal, so don’t be alarmed. They just need to determine the cause of death. This can sometimes delay funeral arrangements, as the funeral home can’t take possession of the body until the coroner releases it. You can learn more about this in our guide on understanding the role of the medical examiner or coroner.

Time to Secure Everything

Right after you handle notifications, you need to find and secure some really important stuff. Finding these things now saves you so much stress later.

• Find the documents. Start by looking for the will. It tells you who the executor is and what the wishes are. Also, look for any pre-arranged funeral plans and life insurance policies—the funds from those can be a huge help with funeral costs. Check desks, filing cabinets, or a home safe. And don’t forget digital accounts! Look for passwords and usernames for their computers, email, and social media. Missing documents can be a nightmare. For a detailed guide on what to look for and where to find it, see our article on locating important documents after a death.
• Take care of dependents and pets. This is an urgent priority. Don’t assume someone else will handle it. Make sure there’s a trusted person to care for any children, elderly relatives, or pets. Pets are grieving too, and they need comfort and their routine.
• Secure the home. Lock all the doors and windows. Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to keep an eye on the place, collect the mail, and maybe water the plants. A pile of mail is a huge red flag that no one is home. Also, move any valuables—jewelry, cash, important papers—to a safer location, especially during the funeral when the house will be empty. Go to the post office and forward the mail to yourself. This helps you keep track of bills and accounts that need to be dealt with. For more on this, check out our guide on securing the deceased’s home and valuables.

The Next Steps: Funeral Arrangements

This is a big one, but you don’t have to tackle it all at once. The funeral home will be your partner in this.

• Contact a funeral home. Call them as soon as you’re able. They’ll handle the transfer of remains and set up a meeting to discuss your options. They’re legally required to give you a general price list, so you can shop around if you need to. We have a guide to help you with this: choosing a funeral home.
• Review the plans. When you meet, they’ll give you an itemized statement that acts as a contract. Read it carefully before you sign anything, because once you do, you’re on the hook for payment.
• Prepare for the meeting. If you can, take a moment to think about what the deceased would have wanted. Were there any specific wishes for burial or cremation? Have a rough idea of your budget. For help with that, our article on Funeral Costs & Financing is a great resource.
• Make initial arrangements. Check for any prepaid plans first. If there aren’t any, you’ll need to decide on things like burial or cremation, where the service will be held, and what kind of headstone or urn you want. Ask for help from friends and family—they can be pallbearers, help plan the service, and write thank-you notes. If the person was in the military or a specific organization, contact them! They may offer benefits or help with the costs. You can find more comprehensive guidance in our complete funeral planning guide.

The First Two Weeks and Beyond

The funeral is just the beginning. The next couple of weeks are all about handling the practical, behind-the-scenes stuff.

• Get death certificates. You’ll need at least 10 certified copies for banks, insurance, and government agencies. Your funeral home can get them for you, or you can order them from your state’s vital statistics office.
• Find the will. If you haven’t already, find the will and identify the executor. If there’s no will, the probate court will step in.
• Manage finances. Call the Social Security Administration to stop benefits and inquire about survivor benefits. File claims with life insurance and long-term care insurance companies. Notify banks and financial institutions. Send copies of the death certificate to the three major credit bureaus to prevent identity theft.
• Cancel services. Start canceling everything: credit cards, driver’s license, email accounts, social media profiles, and any subscriptions. For social media, you can choose to delete accounts or memorialize them.
• Ask for help. You don’t have to do it all yourself. Lean on your support network and remember to take care of your own emotional needs. Many funeral homes offer grief resources, and counselors can help you through this.

For a full list of everything you need to do, you can download our full after death checklist here.

Grief has no timeline. Some days will be harder than others. Be kind to yourself. You’re doing the best you can in an impossible situation.