Resources
Someone died. Now what?
Guides, checklists, and tools for executors, caregivers, and anyone suddenly responsible after a death.
What to do when someone dies.
Start with what matters first.
Open the checklistCertificates and accounts
Find guidance on death certificates, notifications, benefits, and accounts.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
The exact number to order, what certified copies mean, and why reordering later is a pain.
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How to Notify Social Security of a Death
Who reports it, what information you need, and what happens to benefits next.
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Accounts to Close After Death
Bank accounts, credit cards, subscriptions, utilities, and what not to close too soon.
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How to Find Out If an Account Has a Beneficiary
Before you close anything, check this. Beneficiaries can change who gets what.
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How to Find Out If Someone Had a Life Insurance Policy
Where to look when you suspect a policy exists but can’t find the paperwork — from statements to the NAIC locator.
Probate and property
Learn about probate, the court process for handling an estate, and find guides on wills and property.
Do I Need Probate?
A simple guide to when probate is required and when an estate may be able to skip it.
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Probate Timeline: How Long It Takes
What happens from filing to final distribution, and where delays usually happen.
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What to Do If There Is No Will
What intestacy means, who has authority, and what steps come first.
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What to Do With a House After Someone Dies
Secure, insure, maintain, sell, transfer, or rent the home in the right order.
Estate tasks and planning
Browse the estate checklist, inventory guide, and resources for documenting wishes.
Estate Settlement Checklist
The executor roadmap from day one to closing the estate.
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Plan Your Funeral
A fill-in-the-blank guide to document wishes before someone else has to decide.
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Estate Planning in 10 Minutes
The bare-minimum plan that makes a massive difference later.
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Inventory an Estate Guide
How to document property, estimate value, and avoid mistakes when sorting belongings.
Plan ahead
The best time to reduce future stress is before a crisis. Start small, you don’t need a perfect binder overnight.
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Estate Planning in 10 Minutes
A simple walkthrough to get the basics in order without waiting for a perfect plan.
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Plan Your Funeral
Document your wishes, from services to songs, so family does not have to guess.
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Best End-of-Life Planning Tools
Not all planning tools are built for the same person. We break down the best options so you can pick the right one.
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What to Do If There Is No Will
What happens when someone dies without a will, and why having one matters.
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More ways to learn
- Open printable
Printable: Most Important
A one-page list of the tasks that matter most in the first days. Keep it on the fridge.
- Explore more reading
Death reading list
Books and essays we return to when words help more than checklists.
- Take the quiz
Dead wrong: a quiz about death
A gentle quiz to surface myths and facts about what happens after someone dies.
FAQ
Questions people ask after someone dies
Short answers for the searches that usually happen at the worst possible time.
Read the full FAQWhat should I do first after someone dies?
Start with the immediate tasks that unlock everything else: notify close family, arrange care for dependents and pets, secure property, choose a funeral home if needed, and order death certificates.
What resources are included here?
Find guides on certificates, accounts, probate, property, and estate tasks, alongside planning resources and a free Good Grief checklist.
Is the Good Grief checklist free?
Yes. Good Grief offers a free checklist to help you organize next steps after a death and decide what needs attention now.
Do all estates need probate?
No. Probate depends on state law, account ownership, beneficiary designations, trusts, and the type and value of assets left behind.