The First 72 Hours After a Death: A Family's Practical Guide

The first 72 hours after a death are a blur for most families. Grief is loud, decisions are many, and the system you're suddenly inside of has its own vocabulary. This guide walks you through what to do, in order, so nothing important is missed and you can give yourself room to feel.

Hour 0–4: Confirm and notify

If the death happened at home and was expected (hospice care), call the hospice nurse — not 911. They will pronounce death, contact the funeral home you've chosen, and begin paperwork.

If the death was unexpected or happened without hospice present, call 911. First responders are required to attend.

If it happened in a hospital or care facility, staff will guide you through the first steps and notify the doctor who will sign the death certificate.

Notify only your closest circle in these first hours — a spouse, the children, one or two friends who can help. The wider notification can wait until day two.

Hour 4–24: Decisions that can't be delayed

• **Choose a funeral home** if one isn't already arranged. They will collect the body, often within hours.
• **Locate the will, trust, and any prepaid funeral instructions.** Check a home safe, a filing cabinet, the executor's records, and any digital vault (like VoiceWill).
• **Decide on burial or cremation** if the deceased did not specify. Most funeral homes can hold a body for several days while you decide.
• **Begin a contact list** of people who will need to be told personally before they hear it elsewhere.

Day 2: The paperwork begins

• Order **at least 10 certified copies of the death certificate.** The funeral home usually handles this. You will need them for banks, insurers, the Social Security Administration, the DMV, retirement accounts, and the title company on any property.
• Notify **Social Security** (1-800-772-1213). The funeral home often does this, but confirm.
• Notify **employers, the VA** (if applicable), and **pension administrators.**
• Begin gathering: bank statements, brokerage statements, the most recent tax return, mortgage statements, life insurance policies, and a list of credit cards.

Day 3: Plan the service, protect the estate

• **Plan the memorial or funeral** — date, location, officiant, eulogy, music. Lean on the funeral director; this is what they do every day.
• **Forward mail** to the executor's address.
• **Change locks** on the home if necessary, and notify the homeowner's insurer that the home is now unoccupied (policies require this).
• **Do not rush to distribute belongings** or close accounts. Probate timelines vary by state, but premature distribution creates legal exposure.

What can wait

You do not need to file taxes, sell the home, settle the estate, or close every subscription this week. Most of that is a months-long process and doing it slowly is the right speed.

How VoiceWill helps families before this moment

The hardest version of this week is the version where the family is searching for documents, debating wishes, and guessing at passwords. VoiceWill's asset inventory and legacy letter are designed so the next 72 hours of your loved ones' lives are calmer than they otherwise would be.