The first 24 hours
If death occurred in a hospital or hospice, the staff will coordinate the pronouncement and notify the funeral home of your choosing. If death occurred at home and was expected (under hospice care, for example), call the hospice line — not 911. If death was unexpected, 911 is the right first call.
You do not need to do anything legal in the first 24 hours. The priority is emotional and practical:
- Contact immediate family members
- Choose a funeral home or crematorium (you are not obligated to use the one the hospital suggests)
- Locate the decedent's wallet, keys, and phone before anyone else has access
- If there are pets, make sure they are fed and cared for
Days 2–3: Securing the estate
Get the residence locked and secured. Change locks if other people had keys and you don't know who they are. Redirect mail to your address via USPS. Turn off anything dangerous (gas, water heater if you're not maintaining the house).
Locate the will. Check: home safe, desk drawers, filing cabinets, safe deposit box (if you can access it without a court order — rules vary by state and bank), the decedent's attorney's office, the state's will registry (some states have them).
Locate financial documents. You are looking for: most recent bank statements, brokerage statements, 401(k)/IRA statements, life insurance policies, the most recent tax return, property deeds, vehicle titles, any bills that will come due in the next month.
Do not distribute anything yet. This includes jewelry, sentimental items, money the decedent "told someone they could have." Nothing leaves the estate until you have legal authority.
Days 4–7: Setting up administration
Order death certificates. Order 10 to 15 certified copies. The funeral home usually handles this; expect to pay $15–$30 per copy. You will need them for: every bank account, the SSA, every insurance policy, the IRS, the title office for vehicles, every brokerage, and more.
Notify the Social Security Administration. Call 1-800-772-1213. Funeral homes often handle this automatically, but confirm. If the decedent was receiving Social Security, any payment received for the month of death must be returned.
Notify the decedent's employer if they were still working. There may be final wages, unused PTO, life insurance, or 401(k) matters to address.
Do NOT close accounts yet. Bills still need to be paid from the decedent's funds. Premature account closure creates a mess. The account will be converted to an estate account once you have letters testamentary.
Talk to a probate attorney. Most offer a free initial consultation. Even if you plan to handle probate yourself, one consultation will save you hours of research and may prevent a costly mistake.