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    • Home
    • First Steps
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UnexpectedPassing.com

Beyond Wills & Estate Planning
  • Home
  • First Steps
  • Death Planning
  • Funerals, Etc.
  • Financial Details
  • Real Estate
  • Digital Footprint
  • Subscriptions
  • Shared Stories
  • Checklists
  • About Us & Site Policies

Death Certificates

The first question is probably what is a death certificate? Why is it necessary?


A Death Certificate is an official statement, signed by a physician or coroner, of the cause, date, and place of a person's death and the verification of the person's identity. 


It is a legal document, like a birth certificate, a driver's license, or marriage license.  It usually falls under the jurisdiction of local government and will be recorded by the city or town. 


Procedures for obtaining death certificates may varies. In some states the records are in the public domain - accessible by anyone - and in other states, a relative would have to request the documents. 


The funeral home, on behalf of the family, usually takes care of ordering original death certificates for you. They will ask how many you will need, and charge you a nominal fee, which will be included in the funeral costs. 


Err on the side of too many, rather than having to go back to the county clerk to obtain more, especially if the deceased died out of state. We suggest at least a dozen.


You may be asked for proof of death for numerous reasons - anything from turning off the electricity to gaining access to financial information. Often the equest is for an original death certificate and a photocopy will not be acceted. Having extra originals is always a good idea!

Why do you need a death certificate?

Always ask for more than you think

You need multiple Death Certificates to settle the formalities of an estate of someone who has died. You will almost always wish you had ordered several more at the start of the process.


I asked for 12 original death certificates - which the funeral director thought was excessive. However, I found that many of the organizations I needed to contact about my friend's death wanted an original certificate, not a photocopy. 


Institutions that will require original death certificates included:

  • Financial institutions
  • Retirement fund organizations
  • Microsoft (I needed them to remove the password on her laptop)
  • Internal Revenue Service
  • The courts for the will and probate, as well as the appointment of the Executor/Executrix



More on Funerals, Etc.

Burials & More Options

Funeral? Cremation? Green Funeral? Etc.

More

Moving the Body

Funeral? Cremation? Green Funeral? Etc.

More

Memorial Services

Services and obituaries personalize the passing and often help with closure

More

Notification Reminders

Reminders on calls to make and notifications to pass along

More

Other Featured Sections

First Steps

Financial Details

Death Planning

Where to begin the process

Step-by-step guide on what to do first. Calls, paperwork, care arrangements, etc.

More

Death Planning

Financial Details

Death Planning

Personal Details

Detailed guide to preparing or fulfilling final wishes

More

Financial Details

Financial Details

Financial Details

Bank accounts, investments, pensions, property, etc.

Next hurdle - how to handle financial records and accounts

More

Real Estate

Digital Footprint

Financial Details

Home & Property

Key reiminders on securing residences - owned and rented, apartments and houses - after a loved one's death

More

Digital Footprint

Digital Footprint

Digital Footprint

Social Media & Digital Presence

What you need to know to protect and eliminate the deceased's digtial presence

More

Subscriptions

Digital Footprint

Digital Footprint

Magazine subscriptions, memberships and more

Don't forget subscriptions, memberships, and more...

More

Shared Stotries

Shared Stotries

Shared Stotries

Funny, helpful and special stories shared by others to help you through the process

More

Checklists

Shared Stotries

Shared Stotries

For each section, download and personalize a pdf checklist

More

When I Leave You & Funerals,Etc. Checklist

When I Leave You - Our preplan document


Funerals, Etc. Checklis

When_I_Leave_You (pdf)

Download

Funerals_Etc_Checklist (pdf)

Download

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