How to close accounts after a death

Start with a full list of accounts

Before you call anyone, gather what you can find about the person’s accounts. Most people have more accounts than their family expects, and it is easier to work from one list than to react to each bill as it arrives.

Good places to look include recent bank statements, the mail over the next few weeks, the checkbook register, tax returns, the person’s phone and email, and any file cabinet or folder of paperwork. Bank statements are especially useful, because automatic payments show you which companies are being paid each month.

• Bank, credit union and brokerage accounts
• Credit cards and store cards
• Loans, mortgages and car payments
• Utilities such as power, water, gas, phone and internet
• Insurance policies for life, home, car and health
• Subscriptions, memberships and streaming services
• Email, social media and other online accounts

Documents most companies ask for

Almost every company will want proof of death. An obituary or a phone call is not usually enough. Order several certified copies of the death certificate from the funeral home or the state vital records office, because some companies keep the copy you send. Our guide on how to get a copy of a death certificate explains who can order one.

For financial accounts, the company will also want to know who has the legal right to act. That is usually the executor named in a will or an administrator appointed by a court. They prove this with a document from the probate court, often called letters testamentary or letters of administration. Small estates may use a simpler form, depending on the state.

Have these ready before you call: the account number, the person’s full name, date of birth and Social Security number, a copy of the death certificate, and your own ID and proof of your role.

Banks, investments and credit cards

Tell each bank about the death as soon as you can. The bank will usually freeze accounts held only in the person’s name, which stops new withdrawals and protects the money until the right person is confirmed. Joint accounts often pass straight to the surviving owner, and accounts with a named beneficiary, sometimes called payable on death, can usually be paid out with a death certificate and ID.

Do not use the person’s debit card or write checks from their account, even to pay funeral bills, unless you have the legal authority to do so. Money in the account belongs to the estate until it is properly handled.

For credit cards, call the issuer, report the death and ask them to close the account and stop new charges. Family members are generally not responsible for a relative’s debts unless they were a joint account holder or co-signer. Debts are normally paid from the estate. If a caller tells you otherwise, ask them to put it in writing and speak to the executor or an attorney.

The home, utilities and insurance

It can be tempting to cancel everything quickly, but a home that is empty still needs power, heat and insurance. Keep these running until you know what will happen to the property. Instead of canceling, ask the utility to move the bill into the name of the estate or the executor.

Call the home and car insurers too. Many policies require notice when the insured person dies or when a home is left empty for a period of time. Ask what they need to keep the cover in place.

Services that are no longer needed can be canceled with a short call. This includes cable, landlines, mobile phone plans, newspaper delivery and home security plans that nobody will use. If the person was renting, check the lease and contact the landlord about the notice period.

Government agencies and benefits

The funeral home usually reports the death to the Social Security Administration. It is still worth calling Social Security yourself to confirm, especially if the person received benefits. Payments for the month of death and after may need to be returned, and a surviving spouse or child may be eligible for survivor benefits.

Other offices to tell may include Medicare, the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans, any pension provider, and the state motor vehicle office. The executor will also need to file a final income tax return. For a fuller checklist of people and offices, see who to notify when someone dies.

Email, social media and subscriptions

Online accounts are easy to forget, but they matter. Open accounts can be used for fraud, and recurring charges will keep coming out of a card or bank account until someone stops them.

Most large platforms have a process for reporting a death. Some let family close the account, and some offer a memorial setting that keeps the profile visible but locked. They will usually ask for a death certificate and proof that you are family or the legal representative. Do not log in with the person’s password to close accounts yourself, since that can break the platform’s terms and create problems later.

• Cancel streaming, software and delivery subscriptions.
• Remove saved cards from shopping sites where possible.
• Ask for any stored photos or files before an account is closed.
• Contact the major credit bureaus and ask them to mark the credit file as deceased.

Keep a simple record as you go

Closing accounts often takes weeks or months, and you will speak to many different people. Keep a notebook or spreadsheet with the company name, the date you called, the person you spoke to, what they asked for and any reference number.

Keep copies of every letter and form you send. If a company later says it was never told, your notes will save time. The executor will also need this record when the estate is settled.

If the process feels like too much, you do not have to do it all at once. Start with banks, credit cards and anything that could cause harm if left open, then work down the list. Our broader guide on what to do when someone dies can help you plan the order.