How to Report a Death

Raga15

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posted on 11 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Reporting a death goes further than notifying the police about a death by crime or natural causes. The government, private institutions and banks must also be notified in order to stop all accounts associated with the person and begin survivorship benefits if applicable. Follow a multi-step process, contacting the police, government, employers and financial institutions, in that order. Funeral homes usually help you to start the process of reporting a death.

Steps

Reporting a Death to the Police

Call the Emergency Services immediately after you determine there’s a possible death. Give them your exact location and address. If you don’t have access to a phone, try going next store and asking the person to call the Emergency Services for you.

Avoid touching anything around the body, unless you are attempting life-saving procedures.

Wait for the police to arrive. They are likely to bring an ambulance.

Identify the body at the house or the police station if necessary. Ask the funeral home when the certificate of death will be available. You will need a copy of the death certificate to continue with your notifications to the government and credit companies. A physician must prepare the death certificate, which also reports the cause of death. Funeral homes usually procure the death certificate as well as copies for the family. The time it takes to get a death certificate will depend upon whether a crime is being investigated or whether an autopsy is being performed. Ask the police and the funeral home for updates on this certificate.

Choose your funeral home. They are able to help make arrangements and report deaths. Give your social security number to the funeral director to aid in this process.

Reporting a Death to the Government

Contact your country’s embassy if you are abroad. Try to retrieve the person’s social security number, passport number and information on the cause of death. You may need to visit in person if you are abroad.

Call the Social Security Administration. Spouses may be eligible for survivorship benefits from the agency. Call 1-800-772-1213. You can also call your local Social Security office or visit in person to report a death.

Contact the Veteran’s Administration if the deceased person was in the military. You can call 1-800-827-7683.

Notify the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration service at 1-800-375-5283 if the person wasn’t a citizen.

Notifying Private Companies

Call the deceased’s employer immediately after the death. You may need to speak to the human resources department or another company representative. If the person is retired, but receiving a pension, call the office responsible for the pension.

Find documents relating to life insurance policies. Contact your representative at the insurance company and report the death. You may need to fax or copy the death certificate to start compensation procedures in motion.

Call your bank where the person’s assets are located. You may be asked to come into the bank and fill out information. Bring the death certificate with you when you go.

Move on to other financial documents. Mortgage companies, lenders, financial planners and pension companies should be called so that the necessary arrangements can be made to change the name on the accounts and continue any necessary payments.

Write to the Experian, Equifax and TransUnion credit agencies. Instruct the companies to close the account because the account holder is deceased. Include a copy of the death certificate and all former addresses in each letter. Write to Experian at P.O. Box 9701, Allen, TX 75013. Write to Equifax at P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, Georgia 30348. Write to TransUnion at P.O. 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834.