The First Few Hours: What Needs to Happen Right Away?
The first thing to know is this: almost nothing has to happen in the first hour. Take a breath. Sit with your person. Call someone who loves you. The steps below will still be there.
What does need to happen fairly soon is a legal pronouncement of death. Who you call depends on where the death happened.
- Under hospice care: call the hospice nurse. They handle the pronouncement and walk you through what comes next.
- At home, unexpectedly: call 911. Responders will guide you from there.
- In a hospital or nursing facility: the staff handle the pronouncement and will ask which funeral home to call.
Once the death is pronounced, the funeral home you choose will handle transport. If you haven't chosen one yet, it's okay to say so — the facility can hold your loved one while you decide.
Tell immediate family, then let others help. Ask one trusted person to make calls so you don't have to repeat the news again and again.
A few practical matters round out the first day: care for any pets, lock the house and car if the home will sit empty, and look for a folder, safe, or lawyer's letter holding written wishes or pre-arranged funeral plans. Finding those papers early can answer many questions before they're asked.
What Happens in the First Few Days?
Within a day or two, you'll meet with a funeral home. Bring a relative or friend — a second set of ears helps when you're tired and grieving.
Under a federal rule, funeral homes must give you prices over the phone and an itemized price list in person, and you may buy only the items and services you want. Comparing two or three funeral homes is normal and respectful. It is not "shopping" your loved one.
The funeral director will also help you order certified copies of the death certificate. Most families need several, because banks, government offices, and benefit providers often each want their own. Ordering 5 to 10 at once is a common rule of thumb.
Fees are set by each state. In most states the first certified copy costs roughly $10 to $30, and extra copies ordered at the same time often cost less. Your state's vital records office handles requests, and the CDC keeps a directory of every state office.
While you're gathering papers, pull these into one folder: the Social Security number, birth and marriage certificates, military discharge papers (DD-214) if your loved one served, the will, deeds or titles, recent account statements, and any paperwork for burial benefit plans or other benefits.
Who Do You Need to Notify?
Social Security. In most cases the funeral director reports the death for you — just give them your loved one's Social Security number. If no funeral home is involved, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Reports are taken by phone or in person only, not online.
Two things to know, straight from SSA. Benefits are not paid for the month a person dies, so a payment that arrives for that month must be returned. And an eligible surviving spouse — or in some cases a child — may receive a one-time payment of $255. Spouses and dependent children may also qualify for monthly survivor benefits. Our guide to the Social Security death benefit walks through the details.
Medicare is updated automatically once Social Security has the report.
Banks and credit unions. Bring a certified death certificate. Joint accounts usually stay open for the surviving owner, while accounts in your loved one's name alone become part of the estate.
Benefit providers. Call the provider of any plan your loved one held — a burial benefit plan, a work benefit, a pension. Ask what they need to start the claim. A certified death certificate is almost always on the list.
Over the next week or two, finish the list: the employer, the landlord or mortgage company, utilities, the post office, and the VA if your loved one was a veteran.
The First Month: Estate Basics — and the Scammers
In the first month, the estate work begins. If there's a will, it names an executor — the person responsible for settling accounts and passing on property. Probate rules vary widely by state, and many smaller estates qualify for simpler procedures. A short visit with a probate attorney can save months of confusion. (This article is general information, not legal advice.)
Two money rules protect grieving families. First, don't rush to pay your loved one's bills from your own pocket — debts generally belong to the estate, not to relatives, though rules vary by state and co-signed debts are different. Second, be very careful with anyone who calls demanding payment.
Sadly, scammers read obituaries. The Federal Trade Commission warns that imposters call grieving families pretending to be the funeral home and claiming more money is owed. Other scammers pose as debt collectors. If you get a call like that, hang up and dial the funeral home directly at the number you already have.
When you write the obituary, keep identity details out: no birth date, no home address, no mother's maiden name. Our guide to avoiding scams that target seniors covers the warning signs in depth.
What Does All of This Cost?
Money is the question families whisper but rarely ask out loud. Here is the full picture.
According to the National Funeral Directors Association's most recent General Price List study, the national median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial was $8,300, and a funeral with cremation was $6,280 (2023 data, the latest available as of June 2026). Those medians do not include the cemetery plot, a grave marker, flowers, or the obituary itself.
Add the smaller bills — certified death certificates, travel for family, a reception — and the first month's costs commonly land well above those medians. For a full breakdown of where the money goes, see our guide to the average funeral cost in 2026, and for the ways families cover the bill, see how to pay for a funeral.
One timing detail matters most: funeral homes generally ask for payment at or near the time of arrangement — before benefit claims or estate funds arrive. That gap is where planning ahead makes the biggest difference.
How Does Planning Ahead Change This Week for the Next Family?
Picture this same week for a family whose loved one planned ahead. The wishes are written down, so no one argues over burial or cremation. The funeral home may already be chosen. The papers sit in one folder. And a benefit — burial benefit plans typically carry benefit amounts of $5,000 to $25,000 — arrives to help pay the bill, so no one reaches for a credit card at the worst possible moment.
Nothing removes grief. But planning removes nearly every decision described above, and it can take most of the money worry off the table. That is the gift.
If this week has you thinking about your own family, you can request free information about burial benefit plans. The form takes about 2 minutes, and there is no cost or obligation.
Your First Two Weeks at a Glance
- Get the legal pronouncement — Call the hospice nurse, call 911, or let hospital or facility staff handle it.
- Choose a funeral home and arrange transport — Ask for prices over the phone first — funeral homes must share them.
- Look for written wishes or pre-arranged plans — Check files, the safe, and with the family lawyer before making decisions.
- Order 5 to 10 certified death certificates — Banks, agencies, and benefit providers often each want their own copy.
- Give the funeral director the Social Security number — They will report the death to Social Security for you in most cases.
- Gather key documents in one folder — Birth and marriage certificates, DD-214, will, deeds, account statements, plan paperwork.
- Notify banks and benefit providers — Start claims early — most need a certified death certificate.
- Guard against scams — Keep personal details out of the obituary, and never pay anyone who pressures you by phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I call first when someone dies at home?
If your loved one was under hospice care, call the hospice nurse — they handle the pronouncement and guide the next steps. If the death was unexpected, call 911. In a hospital or nursing facility, the staff take care of this for you.
How many death certificates do I need, and what do they cost?
Most families order 5 to 10 certified copies, since banks, government offices, and benefit providers often each require one. Fees vary by state — roughly $10 to $30 for the first certified copy in most states, with extra copies ordered at the same time often costing less.
Does Social Security help with funeral costs?
Social Security may pay a one-time $255 payment to an eligible surviving spouse, or in some cases a child. Spouses and dependent children may also qualify for monthly survivor benefits. The funeral director usually reports the death for you; otherwise call 1-800-772-1213.
Am I personally responsible for my loved one's debts?
Generally, debts are paid from the estate rather than by relatives, though rules vary by state and co-signed or joint debts are different. Be cautious of callers claiming you owe money — some are scammers who read obituaries. When in doubt, ask a probate attorney. This is general information, not legal advice.
When You're Ready, We're Here
Affordable Final Expense Solutions has been in business since 1981 and is trusted by more than 100,000 families. If you'd like to see what a plan could look like for your family, our free request form takes about 2 minutes, with no cost or obligation. A licensed agent will call you back, which can take up to 72 hours — so save this number now: 1-800-947-0068 .
Sources: Social Security Administration — What to do when someone dies · National Funeral Directors Association — Media Center: Funeral Cost Statistics (2023 General Price List Study) · CDC National Center for Health Statistics — Where to Write for Vital Records · Federal Trade Commission — Imposters prey on families preparing for the funeral of a loved one