What to Do When Someone Dies: A Step-by-Step Checklist

There is no decision you need to make in the next 10 minutes. If you're alone, call someone to come be with you before you do anything else.

• If they were in hospice care, call the hospice nurse. They will come to the home, confirm the death, and handle the next steps. You do NOT need to call 911.
• If they were in a hospital or nursing home, the staff will guide you through the process.
• If they died at home without hospice, call 911. Paramedics will respond and can officially pronounce the death.

• Call 911 immediately. Do not move the body or disturb the scene.
• Police and/or the coroner will respond. This is routine — it does not mean anyone is suspected of anything.
• The coroner may require an autopsy. This can delay the release of the body by 24-72 hours.

Notify the immediate family — spouse, children, parents, siblings. Just the inner circle right now. Everything else can wait.

Let the immediate family be notified personally before anyone learns about the death from a Facebook post. This matters more than you think.

You don't need to have a plan — just call. The funeral director will walk you through everything. If the person had a preferred funeral home or pre-arranged plan, use that one. If not, call any local funeral home and they'll take it from there.

The funeral home will arrange to transport the body from wherever the death occurred — hospital, home, nursing facility, coroner's office. You do not need to arrange this yourself.

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Start looking for:

• Will or trust documents
• Life insurance policies
• Pre-paid funeral plan (if one exists)
• Social Security card or number
• Military discharge papers (DD-214) if they were a veteran
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate

You won't need all of these today, but knowing where they are saves enormous stress later.

If the deceased was employed, notify their employer. Ask about any life insurance through work, final paycheck, pension or retirement benefits, and COBRA health insurance continuation for dependents.

If the person lived alone, make sure their home is locked, pets are cared for, perishable food is handled, and any running utilities (stove, water) are safe. Cancel any deliveries. Collect mail.

You will be overwhelmed with calls, texts, and visitors. Ask one trusted friend or family member to be the communication hub — they can field calls, relay information, and coordinate food/visitors so you don't have to.

Bring:

• The deceased's clothing for the service
• A recent photograph for the obituary
• Information for the death certificate (full legal name, date and place of birth, Social Security number, occupation, parents' names including mother's maiden name)
• Military discharge papers if applicable

You will need more than you think. Order at least 10-12 certified copies. You'll need them for banks, insurance companies, real estate, Social Security, the DMV, and more. Each copy costs $12 in West Virginia.

Your funeral director will order these for you as part of the process.

The funeral home can help with this, or you can write your own. Include: full name, age, date and place of death, survivors, service details, and any memorial donation requests.

How to write an obituary →

Now is the time to spread the word more widely. The obituary and funeral home website will handle most of this, but personal calls to close friends and distant relatives are appropriate.

Report the death to the Social Security Administration by calling 1-800-772-1213. If the deceased was receiving Social Security benefits, those payments must stop. The surviving spouse may be eligible for a one-time $255 death benefit and ongoing survivor benefits.

Alert them to the death. They will freeze accounts to protect against fraud. You'll need a death certificate to access accounts later. Do NOT pay any debts from personal funds yet — the estate handles that.

Contact the insurance company with a death certificate and the policy number. Most claims are paid within 30-60 days. If the person had multiple policies (personal + employer), file each one separately.

If the deceased had a will, the executor should contact a probate attorney. If there was no will (intestate), the court will appoint an administrator. In West Virginia, estates under $50,000 in personal property can use a simplified small estate process.

Estate planning in WV →

• Department of Motor Vehicles — cancel or transfer the driver's license and vehicle title
• Post office — forward mail
• Health insurance — cancel coverage or convert to COBRA
• Medicare/Medicaid — cancel enrollment
• Voter registration — cancel
• Pension or retirement plan administrator
• Landlord or mortgage company
• Utility companies (if transferring or canceling service)
• Subscriptions and memberships

The deceased's final income tax return (federal and state) is due by April 15 of the following year. If the estate generates income, a separate estate tax return may be required. Consult a tax professional.

This includes paying legitimate debts, distributing assets according to the will or state law, transferring property titles, and closing accounts.

Vehicles, real property, investment accounts, and bank accounts may need to be retitled in the surviving owner's name or distributed per the will.

If the deceased was a spouse or someone whose income you depended on, your financial situation has changed. Review your budget, insurance coverage, and estate plan.

Six months from now you may feel worse than you did at the funeral. That's normal. Grief is not a straight line. If you need support, ask for it — from a counselor, support group, faith community, or trusted friend.