Guide
The First 48 Hours After Someone Dies: A Simple Checklist
A calm, step-by-step list of what actually has to happen in the first two days after a death, and what can wait.
- 1Get a legal pronouncement of death (hospital, hospice, or 911 depending on where the death happened).
- 2Tell close family, and ask one person to help you make calls.
- 3Look for any written funeral or burial wishes.
- 4Decide who will handle the body: a funeral home, a cremation provider, or a county program if there is no money.
- 5Secure the home, pets, and any dependents.
- 6Start a folder for paperwork. You will need it for everything that follows.
First: you do not have to do everything today
Very few things are truly urgent after a death. The body must be cared for, dependents and pets must be safe, and the home should be secured. Almost everything else, including most paperwork, can wait days or weeks.
If the death just happened
If the person died at home unexpectedly, call 911. If the person was on hospice, call the hospice nurse instead. If the death happened in a hospital or nursing home, the staff handle the pronouncement and will ask you which funeral home to call.
You do not have to choose a funeral home on the spot. It is normal and legal to say you need a few hours to decide. Prices between funeral homes in the same city can differ by thousands of dollars, and every funeral home is required by the FTC Funeral Rule to give you prices over the phone.
If there is no money for a funeral
Tell the hospital, coroner, or medical examiner directly: we cannot afford arrangements. Ask about the county indigent burial or cremation program. Every state handles this differently, and in most states the county where the person died is responsible when the family truly cannot pay.
Important: in many counties, signing paperwork with a funeral home first can disqualify you from county help. Ask about the county program before you sign anything.
What can wait until week one or two
Order death certificates (usually about 10 certified copies). Notify Social Security. Contact the employer about final pay and life insurance. Call the life insurance company. If the person was a veteran, call the VA. Freeze credit with the three bureaus to prevent fraud.
Questions families ask
Straight answers
Do I have to use a funeral home at all?
In most states a family can handle much of the process themselves, and direct cremation is usually the lowest-cost professional option, often $700 to $2,000. A traditional funeral with burial commonly costs $7,000 to $12,000 or more.
Who pays for the funeral if there is no money and no family?
The county where the death happened typically takes responsibility through an indigent burial program, usually providing a simple cremation or burial. Find your county page on this site for the exact office and phone number.
How many death certificates do I need?
Most families need around 10 certified copies: banks, life insurance, Social Security, vehicles, property, and pensions each tend to want one.
Sources
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