Content updated 2026-09-22
Changelog
What changed in the checklist and when. The date at the top of every page is a publication date, not a verification date; the ledger below says which facts have actually been checked.
Removed promises of unshipped features; direct PDF download; storage and sharing explanations rewritten; changelog and claims ledger started.
Fact sweep: credit bureaus one-bureau rule; Deceased Do Not Contact fee $6; 10-year rule exceptions for inherited retirement accounts; Google Voice $20 port; USPS $1.25 online change-of-address fee; NAIC life-policy-locator URL; nine-states wording on state income tax; SSA, VA, and OptOutPrescreen phone numbers; 12 state link sets (probate, title transfer, death certificates).
51 sources checked
- https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/reporting-death-of-relative/
- https://www.equifax.com/personal/help/article-list/-/h/a/relative-death-contact-credit-bureaus/
- https://www.transunion.com/blog/credit-advice/reporting-a-death-to-tu
- https://www.experian.com
- https://www.equifax.com
- https://www.transunion.com
- https://www.ims-dm.com
- https://www.usps.com
- https://support.google.com/voice
- https://www.irs.gov
- https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number
- https://eapps.naic.org/life-policy-locator/
- https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/
- https://digital-legacy.apple.com/
- https://support.google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/6357590
- https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/wills-estates-probate
- https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/new-registration/special-circumstances/handling-a-deceased-persons-dmv-matters/
- https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Vital-Records-Obtaining-Certified-Copies-of-Death-Records.aspx
- https://guides.sll.texas.gov/probate
- https://www.txdmv.gov/faqs?find=probate&field_faq_category_target_id=All
- https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics/death-records
- https://www.flcourts.gov/Courts-System/florida-courts-help/other-resources/Probate
- https://www.flhsmv.gov/motor-vehicles-tags-titles/liens-and-titles/faqs/
- https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates-records/death-certificates/
- https://www.nycourts.gov/help/when-someone-dies
- https://dmv.ny.gov/more-info/if-a-family-member-has-passed-away
- https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/death.htm
- https://www.pacourts.us/forms/for-the-public/orphans-court-forms
- https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/penndot/documents/public/dvspubsforms/bmv/bmv-fact-sheets/fs-vehtrans.pdf
- https://www.pa.gov/agencies/health/programs/vital-records/death-certificates
- https://www.cookcountycourt.org/ABOUT-THE-COURT/County-Department/Probate-Division/Decedent-Estates
- https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/vehicles/title-and-registration/corrected-deceased.html
- https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/birth-death-other-records/death-records/obtain-death-certificate.html
- https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/forms/all-forms/decedents-estate/8
- https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/titles-transfer-death.aspx
- https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/vital-statistics/How-to-Order-Certificates/VS-How-to-Order-Certificates
- https://georgiacourts.gov/council-of-probate-judges-of-georgia/
- https://dor.georgia.gov/vehicle-inherited-or-purchased-estate
- https://dph.georgia.gov/ways-request-vital-record/death
- https://www.nccourts.gov/help-topics/wills-and-estates/estates
- https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/downloads/Documents/MVR-317E1.pdf
- https://www.ncdhhs.gov/assistance/vital-records
- https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/probate-court-forms/
- https://www.michigan.gov/sos/vehicle/titles
- https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/doing-business/vitalrecords/order-a-copy-of-a-vital-record
- https://www.njcourts.gov/public/directories/court-services/county-surrogates
- https://www.nj.gov/mvc/vehicles/transowner.htm
- https://www.nj.gov/health/vital/order-vital/
- https://selfhelp.vacourts.gov/page/20/probate-virginia
- https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/records/family-deceased/transfer-ownership
- https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records/
Claims ledger
Every fact the checklist states, and whether it has been checked.
Phone numbers, dollar amounts, URLs, deadlines, and legal rules. “Verified” means a person checked the claim against the linked source on the date shown. “Unverified” means it is published but has not been checked yet. Verified claims are due for another look six months after the check. If you know one of these is wrong, report it.
- Verified
- 23
- Unverified
- 32
- Needs review
- 0
| Claim | Status | Checked on | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notifying one credit bureau (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) of a death is enough; that bureau notifies the other two. Only a spouse, executor, or other legally authorized person may report a death.credit-bureaus | Verified | equifax.com | |
| The Deceased Do Not Contact list (ims-dm.com) costs $6, is online only, and is permanent.ddnc-list | Verified | ims-dm.com | |
| Most non-spouse beneficiaries must empty an inherited retirement account within 10 years. Exceptions: minor children of the account owner, disabled or chronically ill beneficiaries, and beneficiaries not more than 10 years younger than the deceased.retirement-accounts | Verified | irs.gov | |
| Porting a number to Google Voice costs $20; the number must still be active with the carrier when the port is requested; a port takes about 24 hours.before-phone-port | Verified | support.google.com | |
| Porting a number to Google Voice costs $20; the number must still be active with the carrier when the port is requested; a port takes about 24 hours.preserve-phone | Verified | support.google.com | |
| A USPS change of address is free at the counter and carries a $1.25 identity-verification fee online.post-office | Verified | usps.com | |
| The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator is at eapps.naic.org/life-policy-locator and is free.discovery-naic | Verified | eapps.naic.org | |
| Nine states have no tax on wages, so a final state return may not be needed there.state-tax-return | Verified | taxfoundation.org | |
| Social Security's number to report a death is 1-800-772-1213, and a death cannot be reported online.ssa-call | Verified | ssa.gov | |
| The VA benefits line is 1-800-827-1000; burial and survivor benefits can be applied for at va.gov.va-benefits | Verified | va.gov | |
| Prescreened credit offers can be stopped at optoutprescreen.com or by calling 1-888-567-8688.opt-out-prescreen | Verified | optoutprescreen.com | |
| California: official pages for probate self-help, DMV matters for a deceased person, and certified death records. | Verified | selfhelp.courts.ca.gov | |
| Texas: official pages for probate guides, TxDMV probate FAQs, and death records. | Verified | guides.sll.texas.gov | |
| Florida: official pages for probate help, FLHSMV title FAQs, and death certificates. | Verified | flcourts.gov | |
| New York: official pages for Surrogate's Court help, DMV guidance when a family member dies, and death certificates. | Verified | nycourts.gov | |
| Pennsylvania: official pages for Orphans' Court forms, PennDOT vehicle transfer fact sheet, and death certificates. | Verified | pacourts.us | |
| Illinois: official pages for Cook County probate, Secretary of State deceased-owner titles, and death certificates. | Verified | cookcountycourt.org | |
| Ohio: official pages for probate forms, BMV title transfer on death, and vital records. | Verified | supremecourt.ohio.gov | |
| Georgia: official pages for the Council of Probate Judges, DOR inherited-vehicle titles, and death records. | Verified | georgiacourts.gov | |
| North Carolina: official pages for estates help, DMV form MVR-317, and vital records. | Verified | nccourts.gov | |
| Michigan: official pages for SCAO probate forms, SOS vehicle titles, and vital records. | Verified | courts.michigan.gov | |
| New Jersey: official pages for county surrogates, MVC ownership transfer, and vital records. | Verified | njcourts.gov | |
| Virginia: official pages for probate self-help, DMV transfer after a death, and vital records. | Verified | selfhelp.vacourts.gov | |
| California small-estate affidavit threshold is $208,850 for deaths on or after April 1, 2025. | Unverified | — | selfhelp.courts.ca.gov |
| Texas small-estate affidavit threshold is $75,000, not counting the homestead and exempt property. | Unverified | — | guides.sll.texas.gov |
| Florida summary administration applies when the estate, less exempt property, is $75,000 or under, or the death was over two years ago. | Unverified | — | flcourts.gov |
| New York voluntary administration applies when personal property is under $50,000; one vehicle worth $25,000 or less passes to the spouse without probate. | Unverified | — | nycourts.gov |
| Pennsylvania small-estate petition threshold is $50,000, not counting real estate. | Unverified | — | pacourts.us |
| Illinois small-estate affidavit threshold is $150,000 of personal property, not counting registered vehicles. | Unverified | — | cookcountycourt.org |
| Ohio relief from administration applies up to $35,000, or $100,000 if everything goes to the surviving spouse; a spouse can transfer vehicles up to $65,000 without probate. | Unverified | — | bmv.ohio.gov |
| North Carolina collection by affidavit applies up to $20,000 of personal property, or $30,000 if the surviving spouse is the sole heir. | Unverified | — | nccourts.gov |
| Michigan small-estate assignment threshold is $53,000. | Unverified | — | courts.michigan.gov |
| New Jersey affidavit in lieu of administration applies up to $50,000 for a surviving spouse or partner, $20,000 for next of kin. | Unverified | — | njcourts.gov |
| Virginia small-estate affidavit threshold is $50,000; heirs must apply for a vehicle title within 120 days. | Unverified | — | dmv.virginia.gov |
| Certified death certificates cost about $10–$25 each depending on the state; 10–12 copies is the usual number to order.gather-death-certificates | Unverified | — | — |
| A probate attorney typically charges $3,000–$8,000 for a simple probate, paid from estate assets; banks require original Letters Testamentary, not copies.gather-letters-testamentary | Unverified | — | — |
| Any Social Security benefits paid after the date of death must be returned.ssa-call | Unverified | — | ssa.gov |
| Joint accounts with a surviving co-owner transfer automatically; sole accounts require Letters Testamentary.banks | Unverified | — | — |
| Reporting a death to Social Security also notifies Medicare. Medicaid estate recovery can claim against the estate for long-term care costs paid after age 55.medicare-medicaid | Unverified | — | medicaid.gov |
| The VA offers a burial allowance, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for a surviving spouse or children, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.va-benefits | Unverified | — | va.gov |
| annualcreditreport.com is the free, official source for credit reports from all three bureaus.discovery-credit-reports | Unverified | — | annualcreditreport.com |
| Insurers have up to 90 days to respond to an NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator request.discovery-naic | Unverified | — | eapps.naic.org |
| missingmoney.com searches state unclaimed-property databases.discovery-unclaimed | Unverified | — | missingmoney.com |
| An estate EIN is free from the IRS, takes about 10 minutes online, and the IRS never charges for one.estate-ein | Unverified | — | irs.gov |
| A CPA consultation costs $200–$500; cashing out a $300,000 IRA at once could result in $70,000–$100,000+ in taxes.retirement-accounts | Unverified | — | — |
| Surviving spouses can typically assume the mortgage.mortgage | Unverified | — | — |
| Some credit card issuers will forgive a remaining balance on request after a death.credit-cards | Unverified | — | — |
| Some states let a spouse or executor open a safe deposit box with a death certificate to search for a will or burial instructions; full access usually needs Letters Testamentary.safe-deposit-box | Unverified | — | — |
| An HOA can place a lien on the property, a landlord can start eviction, and a storage company can auction the contents when payments stop.hoa-landlord-storage | Unverified | — | — |
| The deceased's final Form 1040 is due April 15 of the year after death; a CPA charges $200–$500 for a final return.federal-tax-return | Unverified | — | irs.gov |
| A deceased person's passport is cancelled by mailing it to the U.S. State Department with a death certificate and a letter requesting cancellation.passport | Unverified | — | travel.state.gov |
| Apple's Digital Legacy page (digital-legacy.apple.com) handles Legacy Contact access and requests with a death certificate.digital-accounts | Unverified | — | digital-legacy.apple.com |
| Google's deceased-user request lives at support.google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/6357590; Inactive Account Manager may have already granted access.digital-accounts | Unverified | — | support.google.com |
| Marketing mail tapers off within about 90 days of registering with the Deceased Do Not Contact list.ddnc-list | Unverified | — | ims-dm.com |
| Debts in the deceased's name alone are debts of the estate, not of surviving family, unless they co-signed; community property states have different rules. | Unverified | — | consumer.ftc.gov |