Who Do You Need to Notify When Someone Dies?

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Start with Social Security, then the person's bank, then one credit bureau. In many cases the funeral home has already told Social Security, and that one report also covers Medicare. After those, work through the rest of the list below at your own pace. Most places are not urgent.

Keep a simple log as you go: who you called, the date, and anyone's name you spoke with. Many of these places will ask for a certified death certificate, so have a few copies ready.

1. Social Security (this also covers Medicare)

Funeral homes usually report the death to Social Security for you, so ask the funeral director whether they did. If not, report it to Social Security yourself by phone or in person. You can't report a death online or by email. Have the person's full name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death ready.

• Medicare doesn't need a separate call. Social Security handles death reports for both.
• Payments may need to go back. Benefits for the month of death and any later months must be returned. If they came by direct deposit, tell the bank. If a paper check arrives, don't cash it.
• Ask about the $255 death payment. A surviving spouse, or in some cases a child, may qualify for this one-time payment. It must be applied for within 2 years.

2. The person's bank and credit unions

Tell each bank where the person had an account. This stops automatic payments and protects the money for the estate. The bank will explain what it needs to release funds, which usually means a death certificate and proof of who is handling the estate. Don't close a joint account you rely on until you've talked with the bank.

3. One credit bureau

Ask Equifax, Experian or TransUnion to add a "deceased" notice to the person's credit file. You only need to contact one: that bureau tells the other two. Each bureau's website explains what to send, usually a copy of the death certificate and your own ID. This makes it much harder for anyone to open accounts in the person's name.

4. The VA, if the person was a veteran

The VA says calling is the fastest way to report a veteran's death. Ask about burial in a VA national cemetery, a headstone or marker, help with burial costs and survivor benefits while you're on the phone.

5. Insurance companies

• Life insurance: call each company to start a claim. Check old mail and bank statements for premium payments if you're not sure which policies exist.
• Health, Medicare plans and supplements: tell any private plan the person paid for directly.
• Auto and home insurance: keep coverage on the car and house until they're sold or transferred. Tell the company so the policy can be moved to the right name.

6. Employers, pensions and retirement accounts

Contact the HR department of the person's current employer, and of past employers if they had a pension there. Ask about a final paycheck, unused vacation pay, life insurance through work, and who is named as beneficiary on retirement accounts.

7. Credit cards and loans

Tell each card company and lender about the death and give them the executor's contact information. Stop using any card on the person's account. Children are usually not responsible for a parent's debts; here's how that works.

8. The post office

Only the court-appointed executor or administrator can forward all of the person's mail, and they have to go to a Post Office in person with proof of appointment. A death certificate alone isn't enough. To cut down on advertising mail, you can add the person to the Deceased Do Not Contact list at DMAchoice.org.

9. Taxes

The IRS doesn't need a phone call. The person handling the estate files a final income tax return for the year of death, writing "Deceased," the person's name and the date of death across the top.

10. Everything else

• Utilities, phone, internet and streaming subscriptions
• Email and social media accounts
• Voter registration and any passport office records
• Doctors, pharmacies and any home delivery services
• Clubs, churches and organizations the person belonged to

A photocopy of the death certificate is often enough for subscriptions and small accounts. Save certified copies for Social Security, banks, insurers and pensions.

In Wisconsin: what you can skip

You don't need to cancel a Wisconsin driver license or state ID. The DMV gets death records from Wisconsin Vital Records and cancels the license on its own. The one exception: if the person had signed as sponsor for a driver under 18, that teen needs a new sponsor. If the person owned a car, here's how to transfer the title in Wisconsin.

Frequently asked questions

Who should do the notifying?

Anyone in the family can make the first calls, like Social Security and the bank. Some steps, such as forwarding mail or closing accounts, need the person legally handling the estate.

Is there a deadline to notify everyone?

Most places have no set deadline, but act within the first few weeks. Social Security and the bank come first because payments can keep arriving and may have to be returned.

How do I protect a loved one's identity after they die?

Ask a credit bureau for a deceased notice, watch for mail about new accounts, and keep the obituary brief. The IRS recommends not putting too much personal information in an obituary.

This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules vary by state and by company. Last checked October 28, 2026.

Sources: Social Security: When someone dies; USA.gov: Report a death to Social Security; Social Security: Lump-sum death payment; Medicare: Report a death; VA: How to report the death of a veteran; Equifax: Contacting the credit bureaus after a death; IRS: Identity theft guide; IRS: Deceased person; USPS: Mail for the deceased; USA.gov: Who to notify when someone dies; CFPB: Surviving spouse guide; WisDOT guide for families (BDS367)