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What to Do When Someone Dies: A Calm Checklist

Reading time approx. 6 min. · For next of kin in an acute situation

In the first hours

• Have the death certified. If someone dies at home, call a doctor (or the out-of-hours medical service). They certify the death and issue the death certificate – the most important first document.
• No one should be alone. Reach out for support: a trusted person, a chaplain, or a grief counselling service. You don't have to rush anything.
• Look for important documents when you're ready: ID, birth or marriage certificates, any existing funeral pre-arrangement contract, and insurance paperwork.

In the first days

• Contact a funeral director. They handle the transfer of the deceased and assist with many formalities – including registration with the civil registry office.
• Obtain the death certificate (usually through the civil registry office in the place of death). Request several certified copies straight away – banks, insurance companies, and authorities often each require their own.
• Check for final wishes. Is there a will, a funeral directive, or recorded wishes? These should be known before the burial.
• Notify close family and friends – and, where necessary, the deceased person's employer.

In the first weeks

Now it's time to sort out ongoing obligations, so that – for example – direct debits don't continue running needlessly.

• Notify banks & accounts. Check standing orders and direct debits. Important: sort out power of attorney and proof of inheritance before moving any funds.
• Cancel ongoing contracts & subscriptions: electricity, phone/internet, streaming services, memberships, newspapers. Many allow early termination in the event of death.
• Notify insurance providers: life, accident, pension, and burial insurance. Deadlines may apply – check early.
• Notify pension and social security authorities.
• Don't forget digital accounts: email, social networks, cloud storage. Read our Digital Legacy guide for guidance on how to approach these.

Why a prepared overview matters so much

The hardest thing for those left behind is rarely a single form – it's the question "Where do I even begin? What is there?". When someone has recorded during their lifetime which accounts, contracts, and subscriptions exist, an overwhelming search becomes a manageable list.

That's exactly what Angel Reminder is for: an inventory of "what goes where" – without passwords, delivered to the right people when the time comes.