Notifying government agencies after a death in the United States

There are more agencies to notify than most people expect. This guide covers who to contact, in roughly the right order, and what to have ready when you do.

Social Security Administration

Call 1-800-772-1213 as the first priority. SSA stops benefit payments and automatically notifies Medicare. Any payment deposited for the month of death must be returned — contact the bank immediately if the deceased received direct deposit.

If you are a surviving family member who may be entitled to survivor benefits, tell SSA on this same call. They will guide you through the application.

Internal Revenue Service

A final federal tax return (Form 1040) must be filed for the year of death. Write "Deceased," the person's name, and the date of death at the top of the return. If the deceased had an estate that earns income after death, a separate estate income tax return (Form 1041) is also required.

If you need to deal with the IRS on behalf of the estate, you may need to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for the estate and obtain a tax transcript. A CPA familiar with estate tax can make this significantly easier.

Veterans' Affairs

If the deceased was a veteran, call the VA at 1-800-827-1000. Stop VA benefit payments and ask about burial benefits, which can include an allowance, a headstone, and burial in a national cemetery. Apply promptly — some benefits have claim deadlines.

US Passport Agency

Report the death to prevent identity theft. Mail a letter to the National Passport Center (or the address on the State Department website) with a copy of the death certificate and the passport if you have it. This flags the passport as invalid in government systems.

State DMV

Contact the deceased's state DMV to cancel their driver's licence. Procedures vary by state — most allow a family member to do this by mail or in person with a death certificate.

State election office

Notify the county or state election office to cancel the deceased's voter registration. This is important to prevent fraudulent use and is straightforward to do with a copy of the death certificate.

US Postal Service

Submit PS Form 3575 (a change-of-address form) to forward or stop mail delivery. You can do this at any post office. If mail accumulates at an unoccupied property, it signals vacancy, which can be a security risk.

Credit bureaus

Send a certified letter with a copy of the death certificate to each of the three major credit bureaus to place a "deceased" flag on the credit file. This is one of the most important steps in preventing identity theft — deceased people are a common target.

• Equifax: equifax.com
• Experian: experian.com
• TransUnion: transunion.com

Banks and financial institutions

Contact each bank, brokerage, or financial institution where the deceased held accounts. Bring or send a certified death certificate. Accounts will typically be frozen pending estate proceedings, and then transferred or closed according to the account terms and any payable-on-death designations.

Life insurance and pension providers

Life insurance claims have no mandatory deadline, but filing promptly starts the process. Each insurer has its own claim form; call the company's policyholder services line. For employer pensions or 401(k) accounts, contact the HR department or the plan administrator.

Other subscriptions and accounts

Cancel or transfer recurring services — utilities, phone, streaming subscriptions, memberships. Many services have a bereavement process; others simply require a cancellation request. Some, like Apple's Digital Legacy programme or Google's Inactive Account Manager, require prior setup, but customer support can help where that wasn't done.