# Someone died — what do I do first? > Every step after a death, in order, for the country you are in. URL: https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/en/someone-died-what-to-do/ Language: English (en) ## The problem Every family faces it, at the worst moment, with a sequence of legal steps that differs by country and punishes delay. Who it hits: Every family, once per member. ### The shapes it takes - Death at home, in hospital, abroad - Who to call first and the death certificate - Registration and deadlines - Funeral, burial, cremation, repatriation - Estate, bank accounts, subscriptions, debts - Pensions, insurance and benefits to claim ### What this page gives you The full sequence for your country, in order, with nothing missed. ## Where did it happen, and how? I'm sorry. Take it one step at a time — this list is in order, and you can come back to it. Nothing you choose is sent anywhere. Ticks are kept on this device only. ## First hours - Have the death confirmed by a doctor (or emergency services). You'll get the medical certificate needed for everything else. - Tell close family. Ask one person to help you make calls. - Choose a funeral director. They take care of the body and can handle much of the paperwork. - Look for a will or written wishes about the funeral — in their papers, with their lawyer or notary. ## First days - Register the death at the registry office and get the death certificate. (Deadline) - Order several certified copies of the certificate (5 to 10) — banks, insurers and offices each want one. - Arrange the funeral or cremation with the funeral director, and tell family and friends. - Secure their home, car and valuables. Look after pets and plants. - Tell their employer, if they worked — there may be pay or benefits due. ## First weeks - Tell their banks: accounts are frozen, and joint accounts may continue. - Tell the pension and social security offices — payments after the death usually must be paid back. - Contact life insurers and any funeral plan — claims need the certificate. - Tell the landlord or mortgage lender, and the utilities (electricity, gas, water, internet). - Cancel or transfer the phone, subscriptions and memberships. - Deal with email and social media: most let family close or memorialise the account. - Redirect their post, and cancel their passport, driving licence and ID cards. ## First months - Sort out the estate: list what they owned and owed. A notary or lawyer helps, and is required in some countries. - Debts are usually paid from the estate — family members don't pay them personally unless they co-signed or guaranteed. - Deal with their last tax return and any inheritance tax. (Deadline) - Share out what's left according to the will or the law — only after debts and taxes are settled. ### At home, expected (illness, old age) - Call their doctor or the out-of-hours doctor to confirm the death. If you're unsure they have died, call the emergency number now. ### In a hospital or care home - The staff confirm the death and give you the medical certificate and the deceased's belongings. Ask them what happens next. ### Suddenly, unexpectedly, or in an accident - Call the emergency number. Don't move anything until the police or medical team say so. - A coroner, medical examiner or prosecutor may need to look into the cause — the funeral can only happen once they release the body. ### Away from their home country - Contact the consulate or embassy of their country — they help with documents, contacts and bringing them home. - Call their travel insurance first: many policies pay for bringing the body home, but only if contacted before arrangements are made. - Choose a local funeral director who handles international transfers — or a local cremation, which is simpler and cheaper. - Get the local death certificate translated or certified (apostille) for use at home, and register the death there too. ## The whole checklist, country by country ### FR - First days: Declare the death at the town hall (mairie) within 24 hours — the hospital or funeral director often does it for you. - First days: The burial or cremation must take place between 24 hours and 14 calendar days after the death. - First months: The heirs file the estate declaration (déclaration de succession) within 6 months — 12 if the death was abroad. A notary is required when there's property. (Late can cost money) - Official: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16507 ### DE - First days: Report the death to the registry office (Standesamt) by the third working day — the funeral director usually does it. - First weeks: If the estate may have more debts than assets, heirs can refuse it — within 6 weeks of learning of it (6 months if the deceased lived abroad). ### GB - First days: Register the death within 5 days in England and Wales (8 days in Scotland). - First days: Use Tell Us Once when you register: it informs most government offices at the same time. - First months: Any inheritance tax is due by the end of the sixth month after the death — interest runs after that. (Late can cost money) - Official: https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death ### US - First days: The funeral director files the death certificate with the state; order certified copies from them or the county. - First weeks: Tell Social Security (the funeral home often does). A payment received for the month of death must be returned. - First months: Probate rules depend on the state. A federal estate tax return, if needed, is due 9 months after the death. (Late can cost money) - Official: https://www.ssa.gov ### CA - First weeks: Tell Service Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency; ask about the CPP death benefit. - First months: The final tax return is due by April 30 of the next year — or 6 months after the death if it happened in November or December. (Late can cost money) - Official: https://www.canada.ca ### AU - First weeks: Use the Australian Death Notification Service to tell several banks, telcos and utilities at once, and tell Services Australia. - Official: https://www.deathnotification.gov.au ### PH - First hours: If no doctor was present, report the death to the city or municipal health office within 48 hours. - First hours: Remains that aren't embalmed must be buried within 48 hours — so embalming is often the first call. - First days: Register the death at the Local Civil Registry Office of the place of death within 30 days; the burial or cremation permit follows. - First weeks: Tell SSS or GSIS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG — there may be death and funeral benefits to claim. - First weeks: Banks restrict the accounts once told. Heirs can withdraw within a year, with 6% withheld as estate tax. - First months: File the estate tax return and pay the 6% estate tax within 1 year of the death to avoid surcharges. (Late can cost money) - Official: https://psa.gov.ph - Official: https://www.bir.gov.ph ## Look after yourself - You don't have to do everything at once, or alone. Ask someone to take over calls and paperwork. - Grief can hit hard days or weeks later. Talking to a friend, your doctor or a bereavement service helps. ## Language - [English](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/en/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/en/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [العربية](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/ar/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/ar/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [Deutsch](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/de/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/de/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [Español](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/es/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/es/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [Français](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/fr/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/fr/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [हिन्दी](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/hi/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/hi/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [Bahasa Indonesia](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/id/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/id/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [日本語](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/ja/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/ja/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [한국어](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/ko/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/ko/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [Português](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/pt-BR/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/pt-BR/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [Русский](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/ru/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/ru/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [Türkçe](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/tr/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/tr/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md) - [Tiếng Việt](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/vi/someone-died-what-to-do/) · [Markdown](https://allproblemssolved.aplusz.app/vi/someone-died-what-to-do/index.md)