Estate Settlement Checklist: 25 Things to Do After Someone Dies

These are the items that need attention in the first 7 days. Not all will apply to every situation — skip what does not fit.

1. Obtain the death certificate. The funeral home typically handles this. Order 15-20 certified copies — you will need one for nearly every institution you deal with. Costs $10-$25 per copy depending on your state.
2. Secure the deceased's home and property. Lock up, check that appliances are off, collect mail, and care for any pets. If the home will be unoccupied, ask a neighbor to keep an eye on it.
3. Locate the will and estate planning documents. Check the home (desk, filing cabinets, safe), the deceased's attorney, safe deposit box, and email. If you find a will, do not open it if it is sealed — bring it directly to the probate court.
4. Notify Social Security. Call 1-800-772-1213. Benefits stop in the month of death. Do not cash or deposit any payments received after the date of death — they must be returned. Ask about the $255 lump-sum death payment and survivor benefits.
5. Notify the deceased's employer. Ask about: final paycheck, unused PTO, life insurance through work, pension or retirement benefits, COBRA health insurance options, and any bereavement support.
6. File life insurance claims. Contact each life insurance company with a death certificate. Check for policies through employers, banks, mortgage lenders, and credit card companies — many people have coverage they have forgotten about.
7. Notify your own employer. Request bereavement leave. Check if your employer offers any support services — EAP, grief counseling, flexible scheduling.
8. Start a centralized file. Create one folder (physical or digital) for all estate documents, correspondence, account statements, and receipts. You will reference this constantly over the next several months.

Once you have death certificates and the immediate notifications are done, move to financial accounts and legal steps.

9. Notify all banks and financial institutions. Visit each bank with a death certificate and ID. Joint accounts with survivorship transfer automatically. Individual accounts will be frozen pending probate or a small estate affidavit.
10. Notify investment and retirement account custodians. Contact each brokerage, 401(k) provider, and IRA custodian. Accounts with named beneficiaries transfer directly outside of probate. Request date-of-death valuations for every account — this establishes the stepped-up tax basis.
11. Determine if probate is needed. If all significant assets have joint ownership, beneficiary designations, or are in a trust, you may not need probate. If probate is needed, check whether a small estate affidavit applies — many estates qualify for this simplified process.
12. File the will with probate court. Most states require this within 30 days of death, whether or not you plan to open formal probate. Failure to file can result in personal liability.
13. Apply for Letters Testamentary (if there is a will) or Letters of Administration (if there is no will). This is your legal authority to manage the estate. File the petition with the probate court in the county where the deceased lived.
14. Open an estate bank account. Get an EIN (free from irs.gov) and open a separate checking account in the estate's name. All estate income and expenses should flow through this account — never mix estate funds with personal funds.
15. Notify all insurance companies. Auto, home, health, long-term care, umbrella — contact each one. Transfer policies to surviving household members or the estate as appropriate. Do not cancel homeowner's insurance on estate property.
16. Elect COBRA if needed. If you or dependents were covered under the deceased's employer health plan, you have 60 days to elect COBRA continuation coverage. Mark this deadline — missing it means losing the option permanently.

With the legal framework in place, turn to the broader administrative work of settling the estate.

17. Create a complete asset inventory. Document every asset: bank accounts, investments, real estate, vehicles, valuable personal property, business interests, digital assets, and anything else of value. Include date-of-death valuations. This inventory is required by the probate court and is essential for tax purposes.
18. Notify creditors. Publish a notice in a local newspaper if your state requires it (most do). Send direct notice to all known creditors — credit card companies, medical providers, mortgage lenders. This starts the creditor claim period (typically 3-6 months).
19. Forward mail. File a change of address with USPS to redirect the deceased's mail to the executor. This catches bills, legal notices, and accounts you may not know about.
20. Notify credit bureaus. Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to place a "deceased" flag on the credit report. This helps prevent identity theft. Send a death certificate to each bureau.
21. Cancel accounts and subscriptions. Review 3 months of bank and credit card statements to identify all recurring charges. Cancel streaming services, gym memberships, magazines, software, meal kits, and anything else that bills automatically.
22. Transfer or cancel vehicle titles. Visit the DMV with a death certificate and Letters Testamentary (or small estate affidavit). Joint-ownership vehicles transfer with just a death certificate. Individual-ownership vehicles may need probate documents.

The final phase focuses on wrapping up the estate: paying debts, filing taxes, and distributing what remains to beneficiaries.

23. Pay valid debts and estate expenses. After the creditor claim period closes, pay all valid claims from the estate bank account. Typical expenses include: funeral costs, outstanding medical bills, credit card balances, mortgage balance (if selling the home), attorney and CPA fees, and executor compensation (if applicable). Pay in the priority order required by your state — this matters if the estate does not have enough to cover everything.
24. File final tax returns. The deceased needs a final individual tax return (Form 1040) covering January 1 through the date of death — due April 15 of the following year. If the estate earned income during settlement (interest, rental income, asset sales), it also needs an estate income tax return (Form 1041). If the estate exceeds the federal exemption ($13.61 million in 2024), an estate tax return (Form 706) is due 9 months after death. Consider hiring a CPA for the tax returns — the stepped-up basis calculations, income splitting, and estate deductions are complex enough that professional help usually pays for itself.
25. Distribute remaining assets to beneficiaries. Once all debts are paid, all taxes are filed and paid, and the creditor claim period has closed, you can distribute the remaining assets according to the will (or your state's intestacy laws if there is no will). Get a signed receipt from each beneficiary for every distribution. File a final accounting with the probate court showing every dollar that came in and went out. Request the court to officially close the estate and discharge you as executor.

You did it. Estate settlement is one of the most difficult administrative tasks anyone ever faces, and you handled it during one of the hardest periods of your life. The fact that you made it through this checklist — even imperfectly, even slowly, even with help — is something to be proud of.

Not every item has a hard deadline, but these do:

• 30 days: File the will with probate court (most states)
• 60 days: COBRA health insurance election
• 60-90 days: Many Letters Testamentary expire for bank purposes — keep copies current
• 3-6 months: Creditor claim period closes (varies by state — do not distribute assets before this)
• 9 months: Federal estate tax return due (if applicable; extension available)
• April 15: Deceased's final individual tax return due (extension available)
• State-specific deadlines: Probate filing requirements, inheritance tax deadlines, and property transfer timelines all vary by state. Check your state's specific rules.

Most people don't know: Missing a deadline rarely results in an immediate penalty. Most can be cured with a late filing or a phone call. But some — like the COBRA election window — are truly final. When in doubt, file or act early rather than risk missing the window.