Planning Checklist for a Deceased Family Member

Make funeral, burial or cremation arrangements

You'll need to choose a funeral home and decide on specifics like where the service will be held, whether to cremate, where the body or ashes will be interred and what type of tombstone or urn to order.

Find the will and determine who is the executor

Find a copy of the will and trust documents to determine who is the executor, or the person who will manage the settling of the estate. The executor needs to be involved in most of the steps going forward.

Obtain certified copies of death certificates

Get 10 copies. You're going to need death certificates to close bank and brokerage accounts, to file insurance claims and to register the death with government agencies, among other things. A funeral home can get copies on your behalf.

Meet with a trust and estate attorney

While you don't need an attorney to settle an estate, having one makes things easier. If the estate is worth more than $50,000, the executor can hire a lawyer to help navigate the process and distribute assets.

Contact a CPA

If your loved one had a CPA, contact them; if not, hire one. The estate may have to file a tax return, and a final tax return will need to be filed on the deceased's behalf.

Take the will to probate

Probate is the legal process of executing a will. You'll need to do this at a county or city probate court office. Probate court makes sure that the person's debts and liabilities are paid and that the remaining assets are transferred to the beneficiaries.

Make an inventory of all assets

Laws vary by state, but the probate process usually starts with an inventory of all assets (personal property, bank accounts, house, car, brokerage account, personal property, furniture, jewelry, etc.), which will need to be filed in the court. For high-value physical items in the household, you may need to hire an appraiser.

Notify the following of your loved one's death:

• The Social Security Administration (SSA): If the deceased was receiving Social Security benefits, you need to stop the checks. Generally, funeral directors report deaths to SSA, but ultimately it's the survivors’ responsibility. The agency will inform Medicaid as well.

• Banks, financial institutions: You'll need to provide a copy of the death certificate to each banking and financial institution that the deceased individual had an account with. They will provide instructions on either transferring assets to beneficiaries or creating an estate account.

• Credit Agencies: To prevent identity theft, send copies of the death certificate to the three major firms: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

• Department of Motor Vehicles: Contact the local DMV for specific instructions on how to remove the deceased’s name from the records.

• Credit Cards: Contact customer service and tell the representative that you're closing the account on behalf of a deceased relative. Keep records of accounts you close and inform the executor of any outstanding balances on the cards.

• Insurance Policies: Contact providers to end coverage for the deceased on home, auto and health insurance policies, and ask that any unused premium be returned.

• Social Media Accounts: Whether you choose to delete or memorialize the account, you'll need to contact the company with copies of your ID as well as the death certificate.

• Email Accounts: To prevent identity theft and fraud, it's a good idea to shut down the deceased's email account.