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Practical Checklist for When Your Spouse Dies
The practical tasks after a spouse dies, in order, so nothing is missed.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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This is a hard list to need. The practical tasks that follow the death of a spouse are numerous, and every source, AARP, elder-law nonprofits and municipal resources alike, organizes them as a checklist so nothing gets missed at a time when concentrating on paperwork is difficult. The list below covers only the practical administrative steps, not the emotional ones. It is meant to be worked through over the following weeks, ideally with help from family, a friend or an estate attorney rather than alone.
Why these items are on the list
- Get certified copies of the death certificate. Order more than you think you need; most institutions require an original, not a photocopy.
- Notify Social Security. Survivor benefits and any needed adjustments.
- Notify life insurance companies. Begin the claims process; you'll need the death certificate.
- Notify the employer or pension administrator. For benefits, final pay, or survivor pension continuation.
- Notify banks and financial institutions. Joint accounts, individual accounts, and any accounts needing retitling.
- Locate the will and consult an estate or probate attorney. Sooner rather than later, especially if probate is required.
- Notify mortgage lender or landlord. If the home was jointly held or in the deceased's name.
- Cancel or transfer utilities and subscriptions in their name. This covers phone plans, memberships, and subscriptions.
- Notify credit card companies. Close or transfer accounts as appropriate.
- Check for veteran or military benefits. Burial and survivor benefits are often available and often missed.
- Redirect mail. Via the Postal Service, if needed.
- Update or cancel the driver's license and ID. Administrative, but required by most states.
You can tick items off on your phone, and a family member or executor can open the same list and see where things stand. Work through it a few items at a time and come back to it when you can.
When to use it
This is useful any time of year — there is no strong season for it.