When someone dies in Illinois
Two things matter first in Illinois: getting certified death certificates, and, if money is short, reaching the burial assistance program in the county where the death happened. Pick the county below for exact contacts.
Death certificates in Illinois
Order certified copies from the Illinois vital records office. The CDC keeps the official directory of every state office: find the Illinois vital records office. The funeral home can also order copies for you. Most families need about 10.
Planning ahead instead? Set up a power of attorney
If someone you love is aging or ill, the cheapest protection your family can get is a power of attorney, and it must happen while they can still sign. We cover Illinois's exact rules and official forms.
Illinois power of attorney rulesIllinois counties (102)
Adams CountyAlexander CountyBond CountyBoone CountyBrown CountyBureau CountyCalhoun CountyCarroll CountyCass CountyChampaign CountyChristian CountyClark CountyClay CountyClinton CountyColes CountyCook CountyCrawford CountyCumberland CountyDe Witt CountyDeKalb CountyDouglas CountyDuPage CountyEdgar CountyEdwards CountyEffingham CountyFayette CountyFord CountyFranklin CountyFulton CountyGallatin CountyGreene CountyGrundy CountyHamilton CountyHancock CountyHardin CountyHenderson CountyHenry CountyIroquois CountyJackson CountyJasper CountyJefferson CountyJersey CountyJo Daviess CountyJohnson CountyKane CountyKankakee CountyKendall CountyKnox CountyLaSalle CountyLake CountyLawrence CountyLee CountyLivingston CountyLogan CountyMacon CountyMacoupin CountyMadison CountyMarion CountyMarshall CountyMason CountyMassac CountyMcDonough CountyMcHenry CountyMcLean CountyMenard CountyMercer CountyMonroe CountyMontgomery CountyMorgan CountyMoultrie CountyOgle CountyPeoria CountyPerry CountyPiatt CountyPike CountyPope CountyPulaski CountyPutnam CountyRandolph CountyRichland CountyRock Island CountySaline CountySangamon CountySchuyler CountyScott CountyShelby CountySt. Clair CountyStark CountyStephenson CountyTazewell CountyUnion CountyVermilion CountyWabash CountyWarren CountyWashington CountyWayne CountyWhite CountyWhiteside CountyWill CountyWilliamson CountyWinnebago CountyWoodford County