How many death certificates should I order?

Order 10 to 15 certified copies. Every bank, insurance company, and government agency will need an original. It's easier and cheaper to order extras now through the funeral home than to request them later from the county.

When should I start closing accounts after someone dies?

Start with notifications in weeks 1-2, but hold off on closing accounts until you have letters testamentary or administration from the probate court. Premature closings can create problems with estate settlement.

Do I need a lawyer to settle an estate?

Not always. Small estates with clear wills can often be settled without an attorney. However, if the estate involves property in multiple states, disputes among heirs, significant debt, or no will, an estate attorney is worth the investment — typically $1,500 to $5,000 depending on complexity.

📋 CareTabs Blog

What to Do the Week After a Funeral: A 30-Day Checklist

💙 The service is over. The house is quiet. Here’s what to do next — one week at a time, so you don’t have to figure it all out at once.

✍️ By the CareTabs Team 🕐 7 min read 📅 May 2026

The funeral is over. The flowers are wilting. The casserole dishes are piling up. And somewhere between the thank-you cards and the grief, a quiet panic sets in: What am I supposed to do now?

Nobody hands you a manual for this. The weeks after a funeral are filled with tasks that feel urgent, overwhelming, and deeply unfair — because you’re supposed to be grieving, not navigating bureaucracy. But the bills don’t pause. The insurance company won’t wait. The clock on certain deadlines is already ticking.

This checklist breaks the first 30 days into manageable weekly chunks. You don’t have to do everything at once. Take it one week at a time. Ask for help. And give yourself grace — you’re doing something incredibly hard.

💙 A note before you begin: This checklist is a guide, not a mandate. If all you can manage this week is getting out of bed and making a phone call, that counts. The paperwork will still be there. You come first.

📅 Week 1: The Immediate Priorities

The first week is about securing what matters most and handling the things that truly can’t wait.

📜 Order death certificates. Request 10–15 certified copies through the funeral home. Every bank, insurer, and government agency needs an original. Ordering extras now is cheaper and faster than requesting them later.

🔐 Secure the home and property. Lock the house. Collect mail. If the deceased lived alone, make sure utilities stay on temporarily. Change locks if needed — especially if keys are unaccounted for.

📄 Locate the will or trust. Check the home, safe deposit box, attorney’s office. If there’s no will, you’ll need to contact the probate court in their county of residence.

📬 Forward their mail. Set up USPS mail forwarding to your address so nothing gets lost — bills, statements, and tax documents will arrive for months.

🐾 Arrange care for dependents and pets. If the deceased was caring for anyone — children, elderly parents, pets — make sure someone steps in immediately.

✍️ Write thank-you notes. This can wait a few weeks, but starting now while names are fresh helps. Friends, clergy, pallbearers, anyone who sent flowers or food.

📅 Week 2: Notify Everyone Who Needs to Know

This is the hardest, most tedious part. You’ll be saying “they passed away” more times than feels humane. If possible, have a family member help you divide and conquer this list.

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Government Agencies

Social Security Administration (call 1-800-772-1213). DMV to cancel their driver’s license. Voter registration office. VA if they were a veteran. Passport office to cancel passport.

💰

Financial Institutions

Banks and credit unions. Investment and retirement accounts. Credit card companies (don’t pay anything yet — just notify). Mortgage lender. Any outstanding loans.

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Insurance Companies

Life insurance (file claims ASAP — these have no deadline but earlier is better). Health insurance. Auto insurance. Homeowner’s/renter’s insurance. Long-term care insurance if applicable.

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Employer & Benefits

Their employer’s HR department for final paycheck, 401(k), pension benefits, and life insurance through work. Any professional associations or unions they belonged to.

📌 Keep a log. Write down every call you make — who you spoke to, the date, reference number, and next steps. You’ll need this later when following up. A simple notebook or spreadsheet works.

📅 Week 3: Financial and Legal Steps

By now you’ve handled the most urgent notifications. This week is about getting the legal machinery in motion.

⚖️ File the will with probate court. Even if the estate is small, most states require this. The court issues “letters testamentary” (if there’s a will) or “letters of administration” (if there’s not) — these give you legal authority to act on behalf of the estate.

🏦 Open an estate bank account. This gives you a clean place to deposit any incoming funds (insurance payouts, refunds) and pay estate expenses (funeral costs, final bills). Don’t mix estate money with your personal accounts.

📊 Pull their credit report. Request free reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com to discover any accounts or debts you didn’t know about.

🔒 Place a deceased alert on their credit. Contact all three credit bureaus to flag the deceased’s record. This helps prevent identity theft — yes, it happens, and criminals scan obituaries for targets.

📋 Inventory all assets and debts. Start building a complete list of everything the estate owns and owes. This is required for probate and for distributing assets to heirs.

📅 Week 4: The Longer-Term Tasks

You’ve done the hardest work. This week is about tying up loose ends and thinking a little further ahead.

🏠 Handle property and vehicles. If the deceased owned a home, make sure insurance stays active and property taxes are current. Transfer vehicle titles — you’ll need the death certificate and title document.

💻 Address digital accounts. Cancel subscriptions and memberships. Close or memorialize social media accounts. Transfer any digital assets (photos, documents) that the family wants to keep.

📞 Cancel services. Cell phone, cable, internet, gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, streaming services, meal delivery, anything with a recurring charge.

💊 Return unused medications. Bring prescription medications to a pharmacy for safe disposal. This is especially important for controlled substances.

📝 Consider an estate attorney. If the estate is complex — property in multiple states, disputes, business ownership, significant assets — a consultation is worth it. Most charge $200–$400 for an initial meeting.

🔄 Ongoing: Months 2 Through 6

Some things take time. These tasks will stretch beyond the first month, and that’s completely normal.

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File Final Tax Returns

A final income tax return must be filed for the year the person died. If the estate earns income (interest, rental, etc.), a separate estate tax return may also be required. A CPA or tax preparer experienced with estates is invaluable here.

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Keep Watching the Mail

Statements, bills, and tax documents will continue arriving for 3–6 months. January through April is especially important — 1099s and W-2s will reveal accounts and income sources you may not have known about.

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Distribute Assets to Heirs

Once debts are paid and probate is complete, remaining assets can be distributed according to the will (or state law if there’s no will). Keep detailed records of every distribution.

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Take Care of Yourself

Grief doesn’t follow a checklist. If you’re carrying the weight of estate administration, make sure you have support — a therapist, a grief group, or even just a friend who lets you vent. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

🛡️ Make Sure Your Family Doesn’t Have to Go Through This Alone

If you’ve learned anything from this experience, it’s that being organized before the crisis makes everything different. The families who have the smoothest experience after a death are the ones where someone took an hour — just one hour — to put everything in one place and share access with the people who would need it.

The funeral brings everyone together. Disorganized paperwork is what pulls them apart. You can prevent that.

CareTabs is a secure digital vault where families store their most important documents — wills, insurance policies, account information, medical directives, passwords, and more. When the time comes, your family won’t be searching through shoeboxes or guessing which bank to call. They’ll have everything they need, in one encrypted place, with controlled access.

One Hour Now Saves Your Family Weeks of Chaos Later

🗂️ Try CareTabs Free

Your first vault is free. Upload your documents, share access with trusted family members, and give everyone the gift of knowing where everything is.