What to Do When Someone Dies — Checklist

Table of Contents

First 48 Hours

First Two Weeks

☐ Notify the employer. Check whether the deceased was owed final wages, vacation pay, or had employer-provided life insurance. Contact HR for benefits information.

☐ Contact life insurance companies. File claims promptly. Life insurance proceeds are generally paid within 30–60 days of receiving a completed claim with a death certificate.

☐ Notify Social Security. Call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local SSA office. If the deceased was receiving benefits, SSA will need to know the date of death to stop payments. The surviving spouse may be entitled to a one-time death benefit of $255 and ongoing survivor benefits.

☐ Notify banks and financial institutions. Do not withdraw money from the deceased person's sole accounts — that's the estate's money, and unauthorized withdrawals create legal problems. Do notify the bank so the accounts aren't drained by automatic payments or fraud. Joint accounts with right of survivorship can continue to be used by the surviving owner.

☐ Contact an attorney. Even if the estate seems straightforward, a brief consultation can save significant time and money. An attorney can tell you whether you need to open a formal estate, what tax deadlines apply, and what your responsibilities are.

First Month — Opening the Estate

☐ Open the estate at the Register of Wills. If probate is needed (see our Do I Need Probate? guide), the executor named in the will (or an administrator if there's no will) files the original will and a petition for grant of letters at the Register of Wills. In Bucks County, the Register is located at 55 East Court Street, Doylestown, PA 18901.

☐ Obtain short certificates. These are the documents that prove you have legal authority to act on behalf of the estate. Banks, brokerages, title companies, and government agencies all require them. Order at least 5–6 initially ($15 each in Bucks County).

☐ Publish notice of estate administration. Pennsylvania requires publication in a newspaper of general circulation and the Bucks County Law Reporter. This puts creditors on notice and starts the clock on the one-year claims limitation period.

☐ Notify the Department of Human Services. If the deceased person ever received Medicaid benefits, you are required to notify DHS. The state may have a Medicaid estate recovery claim.

☐ Open an estate bank account. All estate income and expenses should flow through a dedicated estate checking account. Do not commingle estate funds with personal funds.

First Three Months — The Discount Window

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☐ Inventory all assets. Create a comprehensive list of everything the deceased owned: real estate, bank accounts, investments, retirement accounts, life insurance, vehicles, personal property, business interests, and debts.

☐ Get date-of-death valuations. You need the fair market value of every asset as of the date of death. Banks and brokerages will provide date-of-death statements. Real estate may need an appraisal.

☐ File the inheritance tax return (REV-1500) for the discount. If you can gather valuations quickly enough, filing and paying within 3 months saves 5%. You can file an estimated return and amend later if needed.

☐ Pay ongoing bills. Keep the house insured, utilities on, and property taxes current. These are legitimate estate expenses.

Three to Nine Months

☐ File the inheritance tax return. If you missed the 3-month discount window, the return is still due within 9 months of the date of death. After 9 months, interest accrues at 6% per year on unpaid tax.

☐ File the decedent's final income tax return. The deceased person's final federal and state income tax returns are due by April 15 of the year following death (or the normal extension deadline). If the estate earns income (interest, rent, sale proceeds), it may also need its own tax return (Form 1041).

☐ Sell real estate if necessary. If the estate includes a house that needs to be sold, the executor has authority to list and sell it. The estate is responsible for maintenance, insurance, and taxes until the sale closes.

☐ Pay legitimate debts. After the notice to creditors has been published and a reasonable time has passed, pay the decedent's legitimate debts from estate funds. Keep records of every payment.

Final Steps — Distribution and Closing

☐ Prepare an informal accounting. Before distributing assets, prepare a summary showing: what came into the estate, what was paid out (debts, taxes, expenses), and what's left for distribution. Have beneficiaries sign a receipt and release acknowledging their share.

☐ Distribute assets to beneficiaries. Follow the terms of the will, or if there's no will, Pennsylvania's intestacy statute determines who gets what.

☐ File a formal accounting if required. If beneficiaries request it, or if the estate is contested, the executor must file a formal accounting with the Orphans' Court and schedule an audit date.

☐ Keep records for at least 7 years. Tax authorities can audit estate returns, and beneficiaries may have questions. Maintain complete records of all transactions.

What NOT to Do

Don't empty bank accounts before opening the estate. This is the most common mistake families make. Unauthorized withdrawals from a decedent's sole account can create personal liability for the person who withdrew the funds.

Don't distribute assets before paying taxes and debts. The executor is personally liable for inheritance tax and debts if they distribute assets prematurely.

Don't throw away documents. Tax returns, bank statements, insurance policies, deeds, titles, and correspondence may all be needed. When in doubt, keep it.

Don't make promises to beneficiaries. Until you have a complete picture of the assets and debts, you don't know what's available for distribution. Premature promises cause family conflicts.