Reference
Who to notify after a death
The organizations families usually notify, who usually tells them, what each needs and the time limits the sources give. Filter by kind; copy the ones that apply into the notifications log.
Most organizations need a certified copy of the death certificate, and several take a report only by phone or in person. Count the rows that say "certified copy" to estimate how many copies to order. Copy the rows that apply into the notifications log; After the service teaches the order and the follow-up.
The time limits are the ones the sources give. A blank means the source gives none; it does not mean there is none. Do not put a Social Security number or an account number in the log: write where the document is and who has it.
Organizations to notify
| Organization | Who usually tells them | What they need | Time limits from the sources | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security | The funeral home, which generally reports the death. If no funeral home is involved or it does not report, the family calls 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778). | Phone or in person only; SSA does not take death reports by email or online. You can start without the death certificate but will need it later. | Report as soon as possible. SSA cannot pay benefits for the month of death, so that payment is returned; with direct deposit, tell the bank too. The $255 lump-sum payment has its own deadline: apply within 2 years of the death (see the benefit reference). | USAGov; SSA; SSA lump sum |
| Medicare | Social Security, once it is told. | Nothing separate from the Social Security report. | USAGov, agencies to notify | |
| Veterans Affairs (VA) | The family or the funeral home. VA asks to be told so it stops compensation, pension, education and health benefits, and to claim burial and survivor benefits. Benefits line 800-827-1000. | For the burial allowance: a death certificate showing the cause of death; the DD214 is recommended. A surviving spouse already on the veteran's VA profile may be paid automatically without filing. | Burial allowance for a death not connected to service: file within 2 years after burial (no limit for a service-connected death or a death under VA care, or for plot or transportation claims). | VA burial allowance; USAGov |
| VA National Cemetery Scheduling Office | The funeral director or the family: 800-535-1117 (TTY 711). | Phone. Discharge papers (DD214 or other), faxed or emailed, then a call to confirm. Checking eligibility without them can take several days. | At the time of need. National cemeteries hold burials Monday to Friday. | VA, schedule a burial |
| VA memorial items (headstone or medallion, burial flag, Presidential Memorial Certificate) | The family or a close friend; the funeral director often helps with the flag. | A form for each: VA Form 40-1330 (headstone), 27-2008 (flag, taken to a funeral director, VA regional office or post office), 40-0247 (certificate), with discharge papers. | For the certificate, VA says to call if it has not arrived after 4 months. | VA headstones; VA flags; VA certificates |
| Military funeral honors | The funeral director, a veterans service organization or the cemetery staff arranges them. | Discharge papers. Honors include Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. | VA's page gives none; The service or gathering covers lead time. | VA, what to expect |
| DFAS (military retiree) or OPM (federal employee or retiree) | The family. | Contact the agency; DFAS stops the pension and sends Survivor Benefit Plan forms. | USAGov | |
| IRS | The personal representative, or a surviving spouse in some cases. | A final income tax return, prepared as if the person were alive, reporting income up to the date of death. We give no tax advice; ask a tax preparer. | The final return is due when it would have been due had the person lived. | IRS |
| State social services (SNAP, TANF, rental assistance, Medicaid) | The family. | Ask the state office. | USAGov | |
| Passport (State Department) | The family, if it chooses. | The passport may be sent back for cancellation, which helps prevent identity theft; it is returned canceled or destroyed. Keeping it is also an option. | USAGov | |
| Local election office | Often nobody needs to: states match voter lists against death records. Some states also accept notice from family or others. | Varies by state. Washington lets any registered voter file a sworn statement; Oklahoma accepts notice from a funeral director. Ask the county election office. Varies by state | NCSL | |
| Motor vehicles office: New York example | The family. | By mail: a copy of the death certificate and a photocopy of the license or ID, to the DMV License Production Bureau. Vehicles have their own rules. Varies by state | New York DMV | |
| Motor vehicles office: Virginia example | The family. | In person, while you wait: the death certificate, the license or ID, and any disabled parking placards or plates. By mail: a certified or notarized copy of the death certificate and a letter. Varies by state | Virginia DMV | |
| US embassy or consulate (death abroad) | The next of kin or the personal representative. | The embassy helps with local authorities, documents and returning the remains. From the US, Overseas Citizens Services: 888-407-4747; from abroad, 202-501-4444. | USAGov, death abroad | |
| One credit bureau (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) | A spouse or a legally authorized representative, such as the executor. Check first that Social Security has been told. | By mail: a copy of the death certificate (Experian asks for a certified copy, never the original) and the person's details. Non-spouses send court papers showing their authority. Each bureau says the one you tell notifies the other two. | TransUnion says it notes the death within five business days. | Equifax; Experian; TransUnion |
| Banks and credit card companies | The executor or administrator for accounts in the person's name alone; a joint owner for a joint account. | Ask each one what it needs. USAGov says most organizations ask for a certified copy; an account the person held alone usually needs proof of legal authority too. | For a deposit of a Social Security payment for the month of death, tell the bank as soon as possible. | USAGov; USAGov, Social Security |
| Life insurers | The beneficiary or the family. | A death certificate and the policy number (write down where the policy is, not the number). To search for unknown policies, see the benefits sheet. | NIA | |
| Employer or former employer | The family. | A call first. Ask about final pay and any survivor, pension or unused-leave benefits. | AARP says these benefits may be time-sensitive; ask the employer for its deadlines. | AARP checklist |
| Utilities, phone and subscriptions | The family or the executor. | Usually a call; ask each company what it needs. A photocopy may do for subscriptions, per USAGov. | USAGov | |
| US Postal Service | Someone who shared the address, or the appointed executor or administrator. | Shared address: you may manage and forward the mail. Forwarding to a different address: in person at a Post Office with documented proof that you are the executor or administrator; the death certificate alone is not enough, per USPS. To cut advertising mail, register the person on the Deceased Do Not Contact list at DMAchoice.org. | USPS says advertising mail should decrease within 3 months of registering. | USPS |
| Google account | Immediate family or a representative. | An online request to close the account, request funds or obtain data. Google does not give passwords. Request the data first: once an account is closed, Google says it cannot process a request for its contents. | Google Account Help | |
| Apple account | A Legacy Contact the person named, or a family member. | Legal documentation, generally a death certificate and possibly a court order. Only one person can request access. | Apple Support | |
| Anyone with a valid request; Meta's help page explains the options. | A request to memorialize the account, or a family member's request to remove it. Meta does not give login information. | Meta Help Center | ||
| Hospice (death at home under hospice care) | The family calls the hospice's 24-hour line, not 911. | A call. Hospice staff confirm the death, can call the funeral home, arrange removal of equipment they supplied (hospital bed, oxygen) and help dispose of medicines. | Call at the time of death. | Hospice Foundation of America |
| Unused medicines (pharmacy or take-back site) | The family, or hospice where it helps. | Follow any instructions from the prescriber or pharmacist. Best: a take-back site or a prepaid mail-back envelope. Flush only medicines on FDA's flush list. Otherwise, mix with dirt, cat litter or used coffee grounds, seal in a bag and put it in the trash. | FDA |
Your list
Limits
Each organization sets its own requirements and can change them; the rows say what the source said on October 17, 2026. Accounts in the person's name alone usually need someone with legal authority, the executor or administrator, and we do not teach estate administration or say who that is. The DMV rows are two states' rules, given as examples; ask your own state's motor vehicles office. Benefit eligibility is decided by the agency, not by this table.
Sources for every row were checked live on October 17, 2026. The full list is in the resource library.