What to Do When Someone Dies: A Practical U.S. Checklist

What to Do When Someone Dies: A Calm U.S. Checklist

Key takeaways

• First: get an official pronouncement of death, then order several certified death certificates. You will need them for insurance, banks, and benefits.[1]
• A funeral home often reports the death to Social Security. If not, call SSA. Ask about the $255 lump-sum death payment and monthly survivor benefits.[2][3][4]
• Under the FTC Funeral Rule, you can get prices by phone, get a written General Price List, and buy only what you want—not a full package.[5]
• File the person's final federal income tax return. The IRS does not need a separate death notice beyond what goes on that return.[6][7]
• State rules differ for bodies, embalming time limits, home funerals, and probate. This page is federal and general—not state-specific legal advice.
• If you can, delay big life changes (selling the home, quitting a job) until the first shock of grief eases.[8]

• Related: How to write a eulogy

• Related: Power of attorney and advance directives

Family stories help after a loss.

First hours: by where the person died

NIA's guidance depends on the setting.[1]

As soon as possible, someone in authority (a doctor, facility clinician, or hospice nurse) must pronounce the death and complete forms for the cause, time, and place. That makes an official death certificate possible. You need that certificate for life insurance and many financial and property steps.[1]

Order more certified copies than you think you need—banks, insurers, and agencies often each want their own.

Autopsy: A doctor may ask. Families with religious objections should say so. NIA notes that signs of an autopsy are usually hidden by clothing and preparation if there will be a viewing.[1]

Organ or brain donation: Decisions can be time-sensitive. Registration may appear on a driver's license. Brain donation is separate from organ donation and may need notice within about two hours.[1]

Your week-one checklist (printable)

Use this as a working list. Cross off what does not apply. State and county steps vary.

A. People and papers

• Pronouncement of death completed[1]
• Funeral home or family arrangement for the body (follow local law)[1]
• Order certified death certificates (ask how many the funeral home can order for you)[1]
• Find the will, trust, advance directives, and a list of accounts if one exists
• Tell close family and friends; assign one person to field calls if helpful

B. Funeral and memorial

• Compare at least two funeral homes; ask for prices by phone (you do not have to give your name first)[5]
• Get a written General Price List when you visit; keep it[5]
• Choose only the goods and services you want—packages are optional[5]
• Ask about cremation alternative containers, caskets bought elsewhere, and whether embalming is truly required in your case[5]
• Draft an obituary / service notes with

• If a veteran: ask the VA about burial and survivor options[9]

C. Government and benefits

• Confirm the funeral home reported the death to SSA, or call 1-800-772-1213 yourself[2][9]
• Return any Social Security payment for the month of death if required[9]
• Ask SSA about the $255 lump-sum death payment and monthly survivor benefits[3][4]
• Cancel or transfer Medicare is handled when SSA is notified[9]
• Notify state programs if any (Medicaid, SNAP, and so on)[9]
• If a veteran or federal retiree: notify VA / DFAS / OPM as applicable[9]
• Motor vehicles office: license/ID and vehicle title[9]
• Optional: cancel passport with the State Department to reduce identity-theft risk[9]
• Cancel voter registration with the local election office[9]

D. Money and tax (start now, finish on the calendar)

• Notify banks, credit cards, and financial accounts[1][9]
• Notify life insurers; keep policy numbers handy[1]
• Send death-certificate copies to the major credit bureaus to help prevent identity theft[1]
• Plan the final Form 1040 / 1040-SR for the year of death[6][7]
• Talk with a probate attorney or the court clerk in the person's state before distributing property

Checklist is an original element for this page, built from NIA, SSA, IRS, FTC, and USAGov items cited below.

Social Security: report, stop checks, ask about survivors

Funeral homes generally tell SSA when someone dies, so you often do not need to report it yourself.[2] If a funeral home is not involved or does not report, call SSA with the person's name, Social Security number, date of birth, and date of death.[2]

USAGov adds: SSA will notify Medicare; benefits the person was receiving stop; you must return any payment for the month the person died; and you can ask about survivors benefits when you call.[9]

Lump-sum death payment ($255)

A spouse may get a one-time $255 payment. If there is no eligible spouse, some children may qualify (age 17 or younger; 18–19 and in K–12 full time; or any age if a disability began at 21 or younger). A spouse who did not live in the same home may still qualify in some cases if they can get benefits on the deceased's record. Apply within 2 years of the death.[3]

Monthly survivor benefits

Eligible people can include a spouse, ex-spouse, child, or dependent parent of someone who worked and paid Social Security taxes.[4] Spouse rules often include age 60+ (or 50–59 with a disability), a marriage of at least 9 months, and remarriage rules; caregivers of the deceased's child may qualify regardless of age in some cases.[4] Ex-spouses generally need a marriage of at least 10 years.[4] Ask SSA—do not assume you do or do not qualify.

Funerals: your rights under the FTC Funeral Rule

When you are grieving, it is easy to overspend. The FTC Funeral Rule exists so you can choose only what you need and compare prices.[5]

You have the right to:[5]

• Buy separate goods and services—not a package you do not want
• Get price information by telephone without giving your name first
• Receive a written General Price List to keep when you visit
• See written casket and outer-burial-container price lists before viewing those items
• Get a written itemized statement of what you selected before you pay
• Use an alternative container for cremation (no state or local law requires a casket for cremation)
• Bring a casket or urn bought elsewhere—no special handling fee
• Arrange a funeral without embalming in many situations (no state requires routine embalming for every death; some states require embalming or refrigeration after a time limit—ask locally)

Outer burial containers are not required by any state law, though many cemeteries require them.[5]

The Rule does not apply to third-party casket sellers or to cemeteries that lack an on-site funeral home.[5]

Taxes: the final return

In general, file the deceased person's final individual income tax return the same way as if they were alive: report income through the date of death and claim eligible credits and deductions.[6]

• Use Form 1040 or 1040-SR.[6]
• The IRS does not need a separate death notification beyond marking the return correctly.[7]
• Surviving spouses who do not remarry that year may be able to file jointly for the year of death.[7]
• Court-appointed representatives and surviving spouses follow IRS signature rules; others claiming a refund may need Form 1310.[6][7]
• See Publication 559 (Survivors, Executors, and Administrators) for deeper help.[6]
• Some surviving spouses with a dependent child may use Qualifying Surviving Spouse status for two years after the year of death.[7]

Deadlines follow the normal April due date unless you get an extension.[7] A tax professional familiar with estates can save costly mistakes. This is not tax advice.

Grief: what can wait

NIA says there is no single right way to grieve, and that concentration and decision-making are often harder for a while.[1][8] If you have a choice, postpone major life decisions—such as selling the home or leaving a job—until you are thinking more clearly.[8] Keep medical appointments; grief is hard on the body.[8] Support groups, counseling, hospice bereavement programs, and trusted friends can help.[8]

Urgent benefit calls and funeral arrangements still need attention. "Postpone the big voluntary changes" is the point—not "ignore Social Security."

FAQ

What is the first thing to do when someone dies at home?
If they were on hospice, call hospice. If not, contact the doctor, medical examiner, health department, or a funeral home before moving the body. Local rules differ.[1]

How many death certificates do I need?
Enough certified copies for insurers, banks, and agencies—often several. Ask the funeral home what they can order.[1]

Do I have to call Social Security?
Often the funeral home reports the death. If not, you should call. Ask about stopping benefits, the $255 payment, and survivors benefits.[2][3][9]

Can I get funeral prices over the phone?
Yes. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral directors must give price information by phone if you ask, without your name first.[5]

When is the final tax return due?
Usually by the regular April deadline for that tax year, unless you file an extension.[7]

Sources

1. National Institute on Aging. What To Do After Someone Dies. NIH/NIA. Content reviewed November 17, 2022. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/grief-and-mourning/what-do-after-someone-dies. Accessed October 29, 2026.
2. Social Security Administration. What to do when someone dies. SSA. n.d. https://www.ssa.gov/personal-record/when-someone-dies. Accessed October 29, 2026.
3. Social Security Administration. Lump-sum death payment. SSA. n.d. https://www.ssa.gov/personal-record/when-someone-dies/lump-sum-death-payment. Accessed October 29, 2026.
4. Social Security Administration. Who can get Survivor benefits. SSA. n.d. https://www.ssa.gov/survivor/eligibility. Accessed October 29, 2026.
5. Federal Trade Commission. Shopping for Funeral Services (consumer brochure explaining the FTC Funeral Rule). FTC. n.d. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-FT-PURL-gpo52591/pdf/GOVPUB-FT-PURL-gpo52591.pdf. Accessed October 29, 2026.
6. Internal Revenue Service. File the final income tax returns of a deceased person. IRS. Page last reviewed or updated August 14, 2026. https://www.irs.gov/individuals/file-the-final-income-tax-returns-of-a-deceased-person. Accessed October 29, 2026.
7. Internal Revenue Service. How to file a final tax return for someone who has passed away (Tax Tip 2022-96). IRS. June 23, 2022. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/how-to-file-a-final-tax-return-for-someone-who-has-passed-away. Accessed October 29, 2026.
8. National Institute on Aging. Coping With Grief and Loss. NIH/NIA. Content reviewed November 17, 2022. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/grief-and-mourning/coping-grief-and-loss. Accessed October 29, 2026.
9. USAGov. Agencies to notify when someone dies. USA.gov. Last updated August 31, 2026. https://www.usa.gov/report-a-death. Accessed October 29, 2026.

Disclaimer

This article is for general education only and is not medical, legal, or financial advice. Talk to your doctor, a licensed attorney, or a SHIP counselor (Medicare) about your situation. In an emergency, call 911. Funeral, probate, and embalming rules vary by state—confirm locally.

Attribution

Portions of this page are adapted from "HowToLiveBetter" (高性价比人生指南) by eternity4719, https://github.com/eternity4719/HowToLiveBetter, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Changes: topic and checklist approach adapted from Chapters 25 and 29; rewritten for the U.S. context (not a direct translation), and re-sourced to U.S. research and official guidance. China-specific procedures were not used.