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No one wants to hear that someone close to them has died. But you may not know what to do next after it happens. Following this checklist can help you know what to do when a loved one passes away.
The moments after a loved one passes away can easily become overwhelming. Here are some things you should do first when a loved one passes away.
A medical professional must formally declare that a person has died. If your loved one died at home, you will need to call 911 to have their body transported to the emergency room where a doctor can issue a legal declaration of death. Without it, you won’t be able to get a death certificate or arrange for their funeral.
One of the first things to do when someone dies is to check if they are an organ donor. Florida maintains an online registry at DonateLifeFlorida.org. The words “organ donor” may also appear on their driver’s license. A person’s wishes for their body may also be included in their estate plan in documents such as their Will, living will, or on their healthcare surrogate designation. Organ transplants depend on medical professionals to quickly and safely remove the organs. So it is important to let the hospital know as soon as possible if your loved one was an organ donor.
Respectfully notify the deceased’s immediate friends and family before the word becomes public. This will likely include your loved one’s:
You may want to coordinate with the person’s family about when and how the death will be announced on social media, such as waiting until the obituary is published, or ensuring certain people find out before posting anything online.
Unless an autopsy is required, you can arrange for your loved one’s body to be transported to a funeral home, mortuary, or crematorium, where it will be prepared for burial or cremation. Contact a local funeral home to begin making arrangements.
If your loved one had anyone (or anything) that depended on them for their care, one of the first things to do when that person dies is make sure their children or pets are cared for. If the deceased was a single parent, the children’s custody will most often default to their other parent. Otherwise, the task may fall to a guardian or other close relative.
Unless your loved one was retired or unemployed, your next call should be to the deceased’s employer. The person’s employer will need to take steps to make sure the deceased’s final payroll is paid and distribute their workload. There may also be employer-provided life insurance policies or pensions that will pay benefits to the person’s surviving spouse or dependents. (This step is especially important if that person was in the military, was a reservist, or received Veteran’s Benefits.)
See if you can locate the person’s estate plan (check any fireproof safes or safety deposit boxes). In addition to their Last Will and Testament, which will guide the distribution of their assets, this estate plan may include funeral and burial instructions that will make it easier to honor their memory. If the deceased stored their estate plan in a safety deposit box or other secured location, you may not have access to it until the court issues letters of appointment to the personal representative of the estate. This is why it is best to give a copy of your estate plan to your intended personal representative after it has been executed, to avoid problems later on.
Within the next few days, you should also:
Depending on your loved one’s religious practices, their funeral ceremony may need to happen quickly. Work with the funeral director and your loved one’s religious leader to plan a service, make the necessary arrangements, and send invites to all who may wish to pay their respects.
Work with those closest to your loved one to write their obituary or death announcement. You can use the process to reminisce about the deceased’s life, and personalize the death announcement so it will be a meaningful remembrance of your loved one in the future.
If your loved one lived alone, you should make sure their home is shut up and their vehicle kept someplace safe. Throw away perishable items, take the trash out, lock the windows and doors, and make sure the property is safe. Loved ones may wish to take mementos – especially if they have traveled from far away for the funeral. Document anything that is removed to avoid family conflict while distributing your loved one’s estate.
Go to the post office and have your loved one’s mail forwarded. This will allow you to make sure the final bills get paid. It will also keep the mail from piling up at your loved one’s home, decreasing the chance of a break-in.
After your loved one dies, you can apply for certified copies of their death certificate from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics (request at least 10 copies). You will need a Death Certificate to start the Florida Probate process and notify public agencies.
Review your loved one’s estate plan to identify the person they named “executor” or “personal representative.” This is the person your loved one has designated to handle their final affairs with the Florida courts. If your loved one had a trust, you should also identify the Successor Trustee who will oversee the trust’s financial affairs now that your loved one has died.
Other organizations and public institutions will need to know about the deceased’s death as well. You may need to send copies of the death announcement or death certificate to:
Sending out notices of death can prevent identity theft and start the process of finalizing their estate.
You will also need to send a certified copy of the death certificate to the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to cancel their driver’s license and voter registration. To cancel their vehicle registration, license plates, and disability placards you will also need the vehicle’s title and registration.
You should also contact the deceased’s cable, internet, online subscriptions, and other unneeded services to avoid additional costs. However, you may not want to cancel the utilities on the person’s home if doing so would make it difficult to weather-proof the property.
If your loved one had a Digital Assets Estate Plan, the personal representative can use that and their letters of administration to archive and close the person’s social media accounts. If there isn’t one, this can be addressed as part of the estate administration process.
An important step you can take after a loved one dies is to talk to an experienced probate attorney right away. There is a lot to do in the days after a person dies, and the physical and emotional strain can make it difficult to get through it all. Hiring a probate attorney right away can help take the burden off you and your relatives, and make space for you to grieve your lost loved one.
At Harrison Estate Law, P.A., our estate and probate team is ready to support you during your time of loss. If you would like assistance handling the death of a family member, please contact Harrison Estate Law online or via email or call 352-559-9828 to schedule a free consultation for probate or trust administration matters. If you don’t live close to Gainesville we are happy to set up a phone or Zoom call.
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