What to do when someone dies
You do not have to decide everything today. Here is what usually needs attention first, what can wait, and who decides what.
If the death was unexpected, or you are not sure the person has died, call 911 now. Follow the dispatcher's instructions. Do not move the person or disturb the surroundings unless you are told to.
Key points
- Who you call first depends on where the death happened and whether it was expected.
- A death must be officially pronounced, and in some cases a medical examiner or coroner must be involved, before a funeral home can take the person into its care.
- Choosing a funeral home is usually the first real decision. You can call more than one and ask for prices by phone.
- Most other tasks — accounts, property, the estate — can wait days or weeks.
Prefer step-by-step guidance for your situation? Use our What Do I Do Now? tool — four questions, printable results, nothing stored.
Immediately: who to call depends on where the death happened
In a hospital or nursing facility
Staff will confirm the death and handle the immediate medical steps. They will ask which funeral home should be contacted. If you haven't chosen one, tell them you need time — facilities can usually hold the person for a period while you decide, though how long varies, so ask.
At home under hospice care
Call the hospice agency using the number they gave you. Hospice teams generally tell families to call them, not 911, when an expected death happens at home. A hospice nurse typically comes to the home, and the hospice helps with the next steps, including contacting the funeral home you choose.
At home, expected, without hospice
If the person had a serious illness and their doctor expected the death, call the doctor's office if you can reach it. In many places you will still need to call 911 or local emergency services so the death can be officially pronounced. Tell the dispatcher the death was expected and whether there is a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order, and have it available.
Unexpectedly, at home or elsewhere
Call 911. Police and a medical examiner or coroner may need to be involved — this is routine for unexpected deaths and does not imply wrongdoing. They decide when the person can be released to a funeral home, and whether an examination is needed. This can delay arrangements; a funeral home can explain the process in your area.
Away from home or in another state
Local authorities handle the pronouncement. You can choose a funeral home near where the death occurred, a funeral home in your home town (which may coordinate with a local one), or arrange cremation locally and bring the cremated remains home. Transporting a body across state lines is handled by funeral homes and has its own requirements.
Within the first day
- Tell close family and anyone who needs to know right away.
- Ask whether the person was a registered organ, eye or tissue donor. Donation is time-sensitive; hospital staff usually raise it, and a donor registry or the local organ procurement organization will guide you.
- If the person planned whole-body donation to a medical school, contact the program immediately — programs have acceptance criteria and time limits.
- Look for any prearrangements or written wishes: a preneed contract with a funeral home, a cemetery deed, a will, a letter of instructions, or notes. These may name a funeral home or settle burial vs. cremation.
- Choose a funeral home (or confirm the one already arranged). See how to choose a funeral home.
- Take care of anyone who depended on the person — children, a spouse who needs care, pets — and secure the home and vehicle if empty.
Choosing a funeral home when you haven't planned
You are not required to use the funeral home a hospital suggests, or the closest one. Under the Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule, funeral homes must give you price information over the phone if you ask, and an itemized General Price List when you ask in person about arrangements. A few short calls can show large differences in price for the same service.
Once you choose, the funeral home will arrange to bring the person into its care when they are released, and schedule an arrangement meeting. You don't have to decide everything on that first call.
In the first few days
The arrangement meeting
The funeral director will go over the type of service, burial or cremation, timing, and costs, and will gather information for the death certificate. Our funeral planning checklist lists these decisions so you can prepare.
Information you will probably need
- Full legal name, date and place of birth, and Social Security number
- Parents' names, including mother's maiden name
- Marital status and spouse's name; usual address; education and occupation
- Military discharge papers (often a DD-214) if the person was a veteran
- Any prearrangement contract, cemetery deed, or insurance policy information
- Clothing and photos, if there will be a viewing or display
Death certificates
Certified copies of the death certificate are usually ordered through the funeral home or from the state or county vital records office. Banks, insurers, pension plans, and government agencies often want a certified copy. Fees and ordering rules vary by state; the CDC maintains a directory of each state's vital records office.
Social Security and veterans benefits
In most cases the funeral home reports the death to Social Security. You may still need to contact Social Security about survivor benefits, including the one-time $255 lump-sum death payment for an eligible spouse or child. If the person was a veteran, ask the funeral director about burial in a national cemetery, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag and military funeral honors. See government funeral benefits.
What can wait
Many families feel they must handle everything at once. Most financial and legal matters can wait until after the funeral:
- Notifying banks, credit card companies, insurers and utilities
- Locating the will and, if needed, starting probate or estate administration (an attorney can advise)
- Canceling subscriptions, phone plans and online accounts
- Filing final tax returns
One caution: avoid making large financial commitments — or signing anything you don't understand — in the first hours. Ask for prices in writing, and it is fine to say "I need time to think about it."
Getting help
A funeral director's job includes guiding families through these steps; it's appropriate to ask them to explain anything. Hospice teams usually offer bereavement support to families after a death. If you are struggling emotionally, see our grief support resources; if you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
Sources and references
- Federal Trade Commission: Shopping for Funeral Services
- Social Security Administration: Survivors Benefits
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Where to Write for Vital Records
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Burials and Memorials
- Health Resources and Services Administration: Organ, eye and tissue donation
Rules, benefit amounts and prices change. Where a source is a government agency, check it directly for current figures. See our sources and fact-checking policy.
This guide is general educational information from Serene Farewells, an independent publisher. It is not legal, medical, financial or tax advice, and Serene Farewells is not a funeral provider. Laws and prices vary by state and provider. Spot an error? Tell us.