Find the will and submit to legal representative
Once the will is in hand, it should be submitted to whoever is handling the legal affairs. A certified copy of the death certificate must be included too. Given how complicated the process may be (it varies by location), hiring an legal advisor may make the most sense (they are also able to make decisions without the emotion you are feeling for your loss).
Locate trust documents and insurance policies
There are many types of trusts and they generally avoid messy legal battles. However, trusts can be considered part of the taxable estate. If there is one, it’s important to notify the trustee as soon as possible.
Contact lawyer, financial advisor, and tax advisor
Financial professionals your loved one worked with may have insight into their plans.
Get legal and tax advice of your own
Meet with the estate's executor or lawyer, if appropriate, and yours if you have your own lawyer, to discuss legal and tax issues associated with settling the estate.
Forward mail
You may need proof that you are the executor of the estate or otherwise authorised to make the change to the mail delivery address.
Contact your government
The surviving spouse and minor children may be eligible for a one-time death benefit payment and/or survivor’s benefits. You may not need to wait until you have all the documents that are needed.
Contact their employer about benefits and workplace savings plans
Make sure you are aware of any retirement, profit-sharing, or other compensation plans. Ask about insurance and other employer-sponsored programs that may exist. Be sure to get current account balances and find out how benefits are distributed.
Contact children’s school (if applicable)
If there are school-age children who have lost a parent, notifying the school is an important step.
Notify banks, brokerages, and other financial institutions
If you are a joint owner of any bank accounts, you still may be able to use cash in the accounts or access lines of credit. With joint accounts, in many countries, when one owner dies, the surviving person is the sole owner of the account. It may be important to track any money spent until the estate is settled.
If the bank accounts are solely owned, it’s important to leave them untouched. Once the executor has the necessary documents, they will typically be able to use cash in financial accounts to pay any debt.
In some cases, the account owner may have named a beneficiary—or more than one. The beneficiary can go to the financial institution with the required documents and take ownership of the account.
Even if you don’t yet have the required documents, it can be a good idea to notify financial institutions as soon as possible to help avoid fraud or identity theft.
The executor may need a tax identification and bank account for the estate
Depending on where you live, the estate may need a bank account to receive money from the sale of any assets, to pay creditors, and disburse funds to beneficiaries. If so, a tax ID number for the estate may be required.
Contact credit card companies
Notifying the companies as soon as possible can help prevent new charges from recurring bill payments and interest. It can also help avoid identity theft. If you are a joint owner on a credit card account, you may be able to keep using the account after notifying the credit card company.
Be sure to also ask whether there are any death benefits associated with each credit card.
Contact insurance companies
Notify any insurance companies. There may be life, home, car, and personal property insurance policies. It’s important to ensure that coverage will continue while the estate is settled.
Contact the mortgage company, if applicable
If you still have a balance on the mortgage, the lender needs to know about the co-borrower’s death.
Cancel memberships, subscriptions, and services
You may find information about outstanding services and subscriptions from credit card or bank account statements. To avoid ongoing billing for services you won’t use, it’s important to find these accounts and cancel them as soon as possible. This could include everything from fitness and mobile phone plans to online games and streaming services.