This is a general planning checklist, not legal or tax advice. State law, trust terms, beneficiary designations, and account rules can change the order of operations.
Best use: print the page, mark what is urgent, and work section by section instead of trying to do everything at once.
Before a Crisis
These are the decisions and documents worth clarifying before a death or severe decline in health.
- Confirm there is an accessible healthcare directive.
- Decide how long relatives living with the deceased may stay in the home.
- Decide how long a live-in caregiver may stay in the home.
- Make sure the executor knows how to access key documents.
- Determine the small-estate threshold for the relevant state.
- Clarify burial and memorial wishes.
- Religious constraints
- Preferred funeral home or mortuary
- Viewing, funeral, graveside service, and reception plans
- If burial: casket, vault, headstone, and plot location
- If cremation: donation to science, urn, and scattering wishes
- When terminal illness or advanced fragility is present, work ahead where possible.
- Choose the preferred location for final days: home, hospice, or hospital
- Confirm POLST or DNR status if applicable
- Make any required RMD withdrawals
- Move utilities and subscriptions into the healthy spouse's name where appropriate
- Move vehicles into the healthy spouse's name where appropriate
- Consider whether the estate plan should be balanced differently for exemption or step-up purposes
- Make sure the healthy spouse can handle the financial tasks the ill spouse has been managing
Immediate Next Steps
These are the first calls and documents most executors need to deal with.
- Call 911 if death occurs at home.
- Notify close family and friends.
- Notify the funeral home, mortuary, or body donation provider.
- Notify Social Security.
- Notify the employer if applicable.
- Locate the will, trusts, and estate planning documents.
- Order death certificates through the funeral home or mortuary.
- Arrange services and obituary details.
- Retain an attorney if probate may be required.
- Set up a new advisory agreement if a representative will need to act and is not already the surviving spouse client.
Home and Property
Secure the property early so the house, pets, and records do not drift unattended.
- Forward mail to the executor.
- Ensure pets are cared for.
- Secure the home.
- Arrange basic upkeep such as refrigerators, plants, landscaping, and garbage.
- Change utilities and service addresses as needed.
- Leave contact information with neighbors.
- Plan for cleaning, sale, or transfer of the home.
Money, Insurance, and Beneficiaries
This is usually the longest section. Keep a central record of accounts, bills, distributions, and deadlines.
- Gather financial records and account information.
- Set up a shared tracking document for assets, debts, expenses, and distributions.
- Notify remaining beneficiaries.
- Review disclaimer opportunities where relevant.
- Handle any required RMDs and related timing issues.
- If the RMD may be missed, consider penalty-relief filing requirements such as Form 5329.
- Check whether a spouse or beneficiary may also be near death before finalizing decisions.
- Determine where short-term executor cash needs will come from.
- Notify life insurance carriers.
- Notify Medicare, health insurance, auto insurance, homeowners insurance, and umbrella carriers.
- Cancel credit cards and unneeded subscriptions.
- Notify banks and investment institutions.
- Publish notice to creditors if required.
- Obtain date-of-death values for real estate and investment assets.
- Open an estate checking account if needed.
- Pay bills and track reimbursements.
- Distribute inheritances when the estate is ready.
- Review whether a small-estate affidavit applies.
- Obtain EINs for the estate and any irrevocable trusts if needed.
Taxes and Reporting
Do not leave the tax work for the end. Gather records early so the filings are easier later.
- File the final personal income tax return.
- Determine whether an estate tax return is required.
- File the estate income tax return if required.
- File trust income tax returns if required.
- Deliver K-1s to trust beneficiaries.
Digital and Personal Items
Protect records before shutting accounts down.
- Do not notify the email provider until important services have been moved and needed messages have been preserved.
- Notify the DMV and update registrations or titles where needed.
- Plan for the distribution of personal items.
If There Is a Business
Business ownership usually adds time-sensitive issues. Coordinate early with the attorney, CPA, and any co-owners.
- Locate ownership documents, operating agreements, or buy-sell agreements.
- Confirm who has authority for payroll, vendors, and banking access.
- Identify any deadlines that affect operations, taxes, or key employees.