In the days after a death, family members are often asked for paperwork they've never had to think about before — sometimes by a funeral home, sometimes by a bank, sometimes by a court. Almost nobody has all of it ready. Some of it exists somewhere in a drawer or a safe deposit box; some of it doesn't exist yet and has to be requested.
Here's what to expect, organized by when you'll actually need it.
Right Away: What the Funeral Home and Government Need
Certified copies of the death certificate This is the single most requested document after a death, and you'll need more than one. Banks, insurance companies, the DMV, Social Security, and pension administrators will each want their own certified copy — not a photocopy. Most people end up ordering 10–15 copies through the funeral home or the vital records office in the state where the death occurred.
Social Security number Needed to notify the Social Security Administration and to stop benefit payments, apply for survivor benefits, or close out the account.
Military discharge papers (DD-214) If the deceased served in the military, this document is required to arrange military honors or claim VA burial benefits.
For Settling the Estate
The will (if one exists) This names the executor and lays out how assets should be distributed. If it can't be found, courts will generally treat the estate as if there wasn't one, which changes who has authority and how assets are divided.
Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration These are issued by a probate court and give the executor or administrator legal authority to act on behalf of the estate — closing accounts, accessing property, and dealing with creditors.
Trust documents, if any assets were held in a trust rather than passing through a will.
Financial and Property Documents
Bank and investment account statements Needed to identify what accounts existed and their balances at the time of death.
Deeds to any real estate Establishes ownership and is required to transfer or sell property.
Vehicle titles Required by the DMV to transfer ownership or sell a car.
Life insurance policies Beneficiaries generally need the policy information and a death certificate to file a claim. If nobody knows a policy exists, it can go unclaimed indefinitely.
Retirement account statements (401(k), IRA, pension) These typically pass directly to a named beneficiary, outside of probate — but only if someone knows the account exists and who was named.
Outstanding bills and loan statements Mortgages, credit cards, and other debts don't disappear; the estate is generally responsible for settling them before assets are distributed.
Identification and Personal Records
Birth certificate Sometimes requested alongside a death certificate to confirm identity, especially for benefit claims.
Marriage certificate or divorce decree Needed to establish spousal rights, survivor benefits, or beneficiary status.
Tax returns from recent years The estate may still owe a final income tax return, and past returns help identify assets and accounts.
The Document That's Usually Missing
Almost every item above depends on the family already knowing it exists. A life insurance policy can't be claimed if no one knows the deceased had one. A bank account can't be closed if it's never mentioned to anyone. In practice, the hardest part of this checklist usually isn't gathering the paperwork — it's figuring out what paperwork should exist in the first place.
The Bottom Line
Every document on this list serves a purpose, but they all share the same weakness: someone has to know where to find them, or that they exist at all. Death certificates can be ordered after the fact. A will that was never mentioned to anyone can sit undiscovered for months.
The Only Step helps families skip that search by giving you a secure place to record the institutions, accounts, and documents that matter — so when the time comes, your family already knows exactly what to look for and where to find it, instead of piecing it together from scratch during one of the hardest weeks of their lives.
