End of Life Support
When someone dies, their bank accounts don't just close themselves, and the clock starts ticking. This stack walks you through notifying banks, handling joint vs. solo accounts, stopping automatic payments, and navigating the Social Security direct deposit clawback.
Joint, POD, and sole-owner accounts explained. Plus what documents you need and how the major banks each handle it.
Official USA.gov page on how to notify the SSA, return direct deposit payments, and check eligibility for survivor benefits.
A compassionate, practical guide covering how to find all accounts, track your communications, and handle automatic payments. Includes a free after-death checklist.
Bankrate's clear overview of survivorship rights, probate, trusts, and what happens when there's no will or beneficiary.
A practical checklist covering credit cards, utilities, streaming services, subscriptions, and more. Includes what documentation you need and how to stop recurring charges quickly.
Official CFPB guidance on rights of survivorship, tenants in common, and what the surviving account holder needs to do next.
Taxes After a Death
Filing taxes after someone dies involves more than just one return. There may be a final federal return, prior-year returns, a refund to claim, and depending on the size of the estate, a separate estate tax filing. This stack breaks down each obligation so nothing gets missed and no deadlines are passed.
The IRS's definitive guide for anyone managing a deceased person's estate. Covers final returns, estate income tax, Form 1041, and a full checklist of forms with due dates.
NerdWallet's breakdown of the federal estate tax threshold (currently $15 million in 2026), state estate taxes with lower limits, and how inheritance tax differs.
TurboTax's comprehensive guide to tax obligations when a loved one dies, including the qualifying surviving spouse filing status and how to handle refunds.
The official IRS page on filing the final Form 1040, claiming refunds via Form 1310, and what prior-year returns may still be owed.
The IRS's central landing page for all decedent-related tax matters. Links to every relevant form, publication, and guidance page in one place.
Kiplinger's plain-language walkthrough covering who files, what forms to use, deadlines, and how surviving spouses can file jointly for the year of death.
Debt collectors don't stop calling just because someone has died. This stack covers what debts actually transfer to survivors, what dies with the person, and how to handle creditors, credit cards, and medical bills during an already difficult time. Know your rights before you pay a single dollar.
The FTC's official guide on who is and isn't responsible for a deceased person's debt, how debt collectors must behave by law, and what to do if they cross the line.
Official CFPB guide on exactly what debt collectors can and cannot do after a death, how to stop unwanted contact, and how to spot scammers targeting grieving families.
The CFPB breaks down exactly what happens to debt after death, including community property state rules and when a surviving spouse may be on the hook.
A focused guide on medical bills specifically, including how hospitals handle unpaid balances, what the estate owes, and how to negotiate post-death.
Experian's clear breakdown of who is and isn't responsible for credit card debt after a death, including joint accounts, authorized users, co-signers, and community property states.
New York Life's clear breakdown of how different types of debt are handled, from credit cards and mortgages to student loans and medical bills.
From Netflix to airline miles to email accounts, the digital footprint someone leaves behind is bigger than most people realize. This stack covers how to find and cancel recurring subscriptions, close or preserve online accounts, recover loyalty points before they expire, and protect against identity theft in the months after a death.
A practical guide to canceling Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and other streaming services when you don't have login credentials, including what documentation each platform requires.
The Points Guy's airline-by-airline breakdown of transfer policies for American, Delta, United, Southwest, and major hotel and credit card programs, and what steps to take before points are forfeited.
A comprehensive guide covering email accounts, cloud storage, social media, online shopping, cryptocurrency, and dating profiles, with platform-specific steps for closure or memorialization.
Covers gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, subscription boxes, and software licenses, including how to find hidden recurring charges on bank statements and how to handle shared or family plan accounts.
A home, a car, a lease, a safe deposit box, and a pile of utility bills don't sort themselves out. This stack covers what happens to property after a death, who is responsible for ongoing costs, and the practical steps to transfer, close, or cancel each one so nothing falls through the cracks.
Bankrate's clear breakdown of how heirs can assume a mortgage, what a due-on-sale clause means, and the options available when no co-borrower is listed.
Trust and Will's guide to tenant rights after a death, how to notify a landlord, what the estate owes, and how to negotiate an early lease termination
A step-by-step guide to DMV requirements, documents needed, joint ownership rules, and how to handle insurance during the title transfer process.
Covers electricity, gas, water, internet, and more. Includes when to transfer vs. cancel, what documentation providers require, and how to avoid service gaps or ongoing charges.
Empathy's practical guide to what you can and cannot remove, when a court order is required, and the steps to legally inventory and access a safe deposit box after death.
Redfin's practical guide to selling inherited property, covering probate timelines, the stepped-up basis tax rule, capital gains, required disclosures, and how to split proceeds among multiple heirs.
Benefits don't just appear. Life insurance has to be claimed, VA benefits have to be reported, and employer HR has to be contacted before final paychecks, 401ks, and health coverage close out. This stack walks through every benefit type so nothing goes unclaimed and no deadlines are missed.
Trust and Will's step-by-step guide to finding policies, filing claims, submitting documentation, and understanding payout timelines and options.
Official VA page on how and when to report a veteran's death by phone, mail, or in person, what documents are needed, and how to access survivor and burial benefits.
A practical guide covering final paychecks, 401k rollovers, group life insurance, pension plans, COBRA health coverage, and how to work with HR when a loved one dies.
The IRS's official guidance on what happens to 401k and pension plans after a participant dies, including rollover options, required distributions, and tax treatment for beneficiaries.
The official SSA page on survivor benefits. Covers who qualifies (spouses, children, divorced spouses, dependent parents), how much they can receive, and how to apply by phone or in person since online applications are not accepted.
Death triggers a surprising number of legal and identity tasks that most people don't know about until they're already behind. From obtaining enough certified death certificates to canceling a driver's license and removing someone from voter rolls, this stack covers every official notification and identity step that needs to happen and in what order.
Atticus breaks down exactly who needs an original certified copy vs. a photocopy, and why most families should order at least 10 upfront to avoid costly delays later.
A state-by-state guide to canceling a deceased person's driver's license, what documents you need, and how this step fits into broader identity theft prevention.
Official USA.gov master list of every government agency to notify after a death, including SSA, passport office, voter registration, VA, and state benefit programs.
A thorough guide to closing or memorializing accounts across Google, Apple, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more, including what documentation each platform requires.