End of Life PlannerWhat to do when someone dies
A calm first-days checklist. You don't have to do everything today — just the next thing.
Not legal, medical, or funeral-director advice
By End of Life PlannerUpdated
The first few days
General orientation, not a legal or medical checklist. Rules vary by state and country.
- 01
Call the right people first
A doctor, hospice, or emergency services if a death hasn't been confirmed, then the closest family.
- 02
Let close family and friends know
You can ask one person to help spread the word so you don't have to.
- 03
Find the will and any prepaid funeral plan
Check with their attorney, a safe, or a shared plan if they left one.
- 04
Secure the practical things
Home, pets, medication, phone, and computer.
- 05
Start one simple list
What has to happen this week, what can wait. Most things can wait.
This is practical orientation, not legal, medical, or funeral-director advice. Rules vary by place.
If they left a plan
Open the shared plan, or the offline export if they gave you one. Contacts, papers, and wishes should be in one file. If they kept an emergency binder, that’s the same idea on paper.