Your mother has died, and along with all the emotional upheaval and distress you're dealing with, you're staring at a mountain of paperwork and administrative tasks that need to be taken care of. Elayne is here to help when you're coping with the death of a loved one. In this article, we'll cover everything you'll need to take care of after the death of a parent. A few things need immediate attention, but many are not urgent.
We'll start with what needs your attention in the first 24 hours, and then we'll map out the rest.
TLDR:
- Order 10 certified death certificates through your funeral director for accounts and property transfers.
- Contact Social Security within days; funeral homes usually report the death automatically.
- Contact banks and notify credit bureaus to prevent identity theft.
- Estate settlement typically takes 12 to 18 months; probate averages 16 months for complex estates.
- If you're feeling overwhelmed, consider Elayne: We automate estate settlement and can save families as much as 400 hours of paperwork and phone calls.
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First 24 Hours After Your Mom's Death
If your mother passed away at home, call 911 or her hospice provider immediately. A medical professional must pronounce the death and complete the required documentation. Hospice staff will walk you through their specific protocols if she was already enrolled in care.
Reach out to your immediate family next. You need to notify only close family and others who should know right away (or who will be able to help you in the coming hours and days).
Check on anyone who relied on your mother's care. If she was caring for minor children or elderly relatives, for example, arrange coverage quickly. If she had pets, make sure someone is looking after them.
Remember: The first hours after a parent dies can feel disorienting, and you don't have to solve everything today. Once you've made sure that dependent people and animals are safe, and once you've notified your mom's closest relatives and friends, you have probably done all you need to do right away.
Obtain Death Certificates and Key Documents
Your next tasks are less urgent but still important.
You'll need certified death certificates to close accounts, transfer property, and claim insurance. Banks, insurers, and government agencies all require official copies before releasing funds or changing ownership.
Order 10 certified copies through your funeral director. They'll handle the filing and typically be able to provide certificates within a few weeks. If your mother had multiple bank accounts, investment portfolios, retirement funds, or real estate, request more copies.
If you need more later, request additional copies directly from your county vital records office or state health department. Expect a small fee per copy and allow extra processing time.
Each certificate will list your mother's full legal name, date and place of death, Social Security number, and cause of death. Keep these documents secure, as you'll submit them repeatedly over the coming months.
Notify Social Security
Contact Social Security within a few days of your mother's passing. While many funeral homes handle this notification automatically, you should ask your funeral director to be sure. If you need to report the death yourself, call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local office with a certified death certificate.
Monthly benefits stop immediately upon death. The agency will recover any payments deposited after her passing. If you notice a payment that arrived after the date of death, contact Social Security to return the funds.
During your notification call, ask about survivor benefits. Eligible family members may receive a $255 lump-sum payment, and some survivors (such as a surviving spouse, minor children, or adult children with certain disabilities) may qualify for ongoing monthly benefits.
Secure Your Mother's Home and Personal Belongings
Lock all doors and windows if your mother lived alone. Secure spare keys and change the locks if you're unsure who had access. If you can't visit the home every couple of days, ask a trusted neighbor to make sure things like advertising circulars aren't collecting on the front step. Empty homes can attract unwanted attention.
Contact her homeowners or renters insurance carrier within a few days to report that the property is now vacant. Most policies reduce coverage or cancel it entirely if a home sits empty for more than 30 days without notification. Ask about vacancy riders or additional protection during settlement.
Keep utilities running to prevent damage from things like frozen pipes. Remove trash and perishable food, and arrange for lawn care or snow removal to maintain the property's appearance.
Forward your mother's mail to your address or file a hold at the post office. This prevents sensitive documents from piling up and signals to anyone watching that the property is monitored.
Remove valuable items like jewelry, cash, or important documents. Store them in a secure location until you can distribute or sell them according to the will. Limit access to family members directly involved in settling the estate.
Plan the Funeral or Memorial Service
Meet with funeral directors and request itemized pricing before discussing packages. Federal law requires funeral homes to provide a General Price List showing individual service costs, which helps you select only the services your family needs.
Traditional funerals typically include embalming, viewing, ceremony, and burial, while cremation with a memorial service offers lower costs and flexible timing. Direct cremation or immediate burial are usually the most affordable options and allow you to plan a celebration of life later when family can gather.
If your mother prepaid her funeral arrangements, locate the contract before meeting with the funeral home. Review what services are covered and identify any additional costs you'll need to pay.
You can wait a few weeks to hold a memorial service. This gives distant relatives time to plan their travel and lets you take time to create a meaningful tribute.
Protect Your Mother's Identity from Theft
Contact the three major credit bureaus to place a deceased alert on your mother's credit file. Call Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion individually and submit a copy of the death certificate to each. This flags her accounts and prevents thieves from opening new credit in her name. Also cancel her driver's license through her local DMV.
In 2018, 800,000 of the 2.5 million identity theft victims were people who had died. Criminals scan obituaries and public records to collect names, birthdates, and addresses, and then they use that information to file fraudulent tax returns or open accounts.
Request credit reports from each bureau every few months and review for unfamiliar accounts, inquiries, or address changes.
Locate the Will
Check your mother's safe, filing cabinet, or desk for her will and estate planning documents. Look for folders labeled with attorney names, or reach out to her lawyer if you're unsure where these papers are stored.
If your mother left a will, the named executor manages her estate through probate. This legal process validates the will, pays debts, and distributes assets to beneficiaries. Not all estates require probate. Small estates often bypass court entirely.
In the U.S., probate takes about a year on average. Complex estates with disputes or multiple properties extend this timeline.
Consult a probate attorney if the estate includes real estate, high-value assets, or unclear instructions. They'll guide you through court filings and creditor notifications to help prevent mistakes during settlement.
Notify Financial Institutions and Close Accounts
Contact each bank, credit union, and investment firm where your mother held accounts. Call their customer service line and ask for the estate services or deceased accounts department, which will freeze the accounts to prevent unauthorized withdrawals.
Most institutions require a certified death certificate, your ID, and either letters testamentary from probate court or documentation showing you're the named executor. Joint account holders typically need less paperwork to access funds.
Understanding Account Types
Joint accounts with rights of survivorship transfer automatically to the surviving owner, bypassing probate and giving immediate access. Individual accounts remain frozen until probate completes or you provide the required authorization documents.
Review your mother's bank statements from the past few months to identify subscriptions, utility bills, and scheduled transfers, and then cancel recurring payments and automatic withdrawals before accounts close (to avoid service interruptions and late fees).
Keep one checking account open temporarily to deposit final paychecks, tax refunds, or other incoming payments. Close it only after all outstanding transactions clear and you've collected any funds owed to the estate.
File Life Insurance Claims and Claim Benefits
Contact each life insurance company to file a claim. Policy documents list the carrier's phone number and claims department. If you can't locate the policies, reach out to her employer or financial advisor.
Submit a certified death certificate and completed claim form to each insurer. Most companies process straightforward claims within 30 to 60 days. Delays occur when paperwork is incomplete or when insurers request additional medical records to verify cause of death.
Employer and Retirement Benefits
Call your mother's current or former employer to ask about group life insurance, pension plans, and retirement account beneficiaries. Many workplaces provide basic life insurance equal to one or two times annual salary, plus unpaid vacation payouts or final paychecks.
Retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs transfer to named beneficiaries outside of probate. Contact the plan administrator with a death certificate to start distribution. Beneficiaries can often roll these funds into inherited IRAs to manage tax implications.
Check with the VA for veteran benefits if your mother served in the military. The VA provides burial allowances, survivor pensions, and dependency compensation for qualifying family members. Unions and professional associations may offer small death benefits as well.
Handle Final Tax Returns and Estate Taxes
File your mother's final income tax return by April 15 of the year following her death. This covers all income from January 1 through her date of death. Write "deceased" with her name and death date at the top of the return.
The estate may owe separate taxes if it generates income during settlement. If assets earn more than $600 in interest, dividends, or capital gains after death, file an estate income tax return using Form 1041.
Federal estate taxes apply only to estates exceeding $13.61 million in 2025. State estate taxes vary widely and often start at lower amounts.
Consult a CPA or estate tax attorney if the estate is complex, includes business interests, or approaches state or federal filing thresholds.
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Create Your Roadmap for Estate Settlement
Start by gathering documents in one place. Keep the death certificate, will, insurance policies, bank statements, and property deeds together in a folder. This creates a clear starting point for what needs attention.
Make a list of every account, asset, and creditor connected to your mother's name. Move through one category at a time instead of handling everything at once. Start with financial accounts, then move to property, followed by subscriptions and smaller obligations.
Most estates take 12 to 18 monts to settle. The timeline depends on estate complexity and whether probate is needed, and times vary from state to state. Build extra time into your plan for processing delays and unforeseen issues.
In Conclusion: Settling Your Mother's Estate
Following a clear after-death checklist helps you stay organized prevent overwhelm while you grapple with the intense emotions that come after a parent dies. After you take care of a few immediate tasks, you can give yourself time to process this loss and let the estate settle at its own pace. If you need support, reach out to friends and family. In addition, Elayne provides a free, personalized estate settlement checklist to simplify this process, saving you time and money, and alleviating stress.
FAQ
How many death certificates should I order after my mom passes away?
Order 10 certified copies through your funeral director. If your mother held multiple bank accounts, investment portfolios, retirement funds, or real estate, request more.
What happens to my mother's Social Security benefits after she dies?
Monthly benefits stop immediately upon death, and Social Security will recover any payments deposited after her passing. However, eligible family members may receive a $255 lump-sum payment, and some survivors qualify for ongoing monthly benefits.
Do I need to go through probate if my mother had a will?
Not always. While a will typically goes through probate to validate the document and distribute assets, small estates or jointly owned property often bypass court entirely.
How do I access my mother's bank accounts after her death?
Contact each financial institution and ask for their estate services or deceased accounts department. You'll need a certified death certificate, your ID, and either letters testamentary from probate court or documentation showing you're the named executor. Joint accounts with rights of survivorship typically transfer automatically to the surviving owner.
