Seven Important Organizations to Contact When a Loved One Passes Away

Grieving the loss of a loved one can be stressful, especially for those who need to contact organizations of their loved one’s passing. It can be hard to even know where to begin.

To make things a little less overwhelming, here’s a list of seven important organizations to contact when a loved one passes away.

1. Social Security Office

Typically, the funeral home will handle contacting Social Security. If not, you can call 1-800-772-1213 or the number for your loved one’s local Social Security office. You should do this right away so there aren’t any complicated repayments.

2. Insurance Companies

This usually can include auto insurance, homeowners’ insurance, life insurance, and health insurance. Make sure to contact all your loved one’s relevant insurance companies.

3. Financial Institutions

This may include their bank, mortgage company, stockbroker, and financial advisor. Make sure to close their credit card accounts and contact credit reporting agencies to reduce the chances of identity theft.

4. Place of Work

Make sure to contact their place of work to let them know about their passing. If they had health insurance through their employer, they may contact their provider for you.

5. DMV

You also want to contact your loved one’s state’s division of motor vehicles to cancel their driver’s license. This further eliminates the chances of identity theft. To eliminate voter fraud, you also can contact their local election board.

6. Social Media Companies

To close or memorialize your loved one’s social media accounts, you may need to contact the social media companies that they had accounts with. You also may need to send them a copy of their death certificate.

7. Club Memberships

While this isn’t as pressing as other organizations, it’s still a good idea to contact them and let them know, especially if your loved one was paying any membership fees.