Immediately
- Order more certified death certificates than you think you need — ten is common; banks, insurers, agencies, and utilities each may demand an original.
- Locate the will or trust and note who is named to act.
- Secure the home, mail, vehicles, and anything of value — and start a simple log of actions taken.
- Do not rush to close accounts or distribute anything; the sequence matters and a qualified professional can order it.
The first month's gathering
- Identity documents of the deceased: birth certificate, Social Security card, marriage/divorce records, military discharge (DD-214).
- Financial map: statements, deeds, titles, insurance policies, retirement accounts, debts.
- Life insurance policies — and any employer, union, or association benefits nobody remembers.
- Recent tax returns.
- Bills that must keep being paid (insurance, mortgage, utilities) versus subscriptions to cancel.
In the full guide (3 more sections)
- 🔒 Working with institutions
- 🔒 Preserve forever
- 🔒 For your own family
The complete edition — every section, updated as it improves — is in the Records Readiness Library.
Educational content, not legal/tax/medical advice — Service Boundaries.