Who to Contact After a Loved One Passes

After a loved one passes away, there can be a surprising number of calls, accounts, and loose ends to handle. Some need attention fairly quickly, while others can wait until you have had time to gather documents and understand what needs to be done.

This checklist is meant to help families organize the practical side of what comes next. You do not need to complete everything at once, and not every item will apply to every family.

Before You Begin: Necessary Documents

Having these nearby can make calls easier:

  • Certified death certificates
  • Full legal name, date of birth, and date of passing
  • Social Security number
  • Medicare, Medicaid, VA, and insurance cards
  • Recent bank and credit-card statements
  • Account and policy numbers where applicable
  • Vehicle titles
  • Will, trust, or estate documents, if applicable
  • Proof that you are authorized to act for the estate, when required

You will not need every document for every call, but having these at hand will help keep the process moving.

Benefits, Care, and Immediate Records

  • Social Security Administration
  • Confirm the death was reported and ask about possible survivor benefits or the one-time death payment.
  • Funeral homes commonly report deaths to Social Security, so you may only need to confirm that it was done.
  • Phone: 800-772-1213
  • Website: Social Security Administration
  • Medicare
  • Medicare is generally notified through Social Security, but families may still have questions about claims, notices, or the deceased person’s coverage.
  • Phone: 800-633-4227
  • Website: Medicare.gov
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • If your loved one was a Veteran or received VA benefits, reporting the death helps stop payments that should no longer be issued and allows the family to ask about survivor or burial benefits.
  • Phone: 800-827-1000
  • Website: VA.gov

Arizona Benefits

If your loved one received Arizona public benefits:

  • AHCCCS
  • For Medicaid coverage and case records.
  • Phone: 800-654-8713
  • ALTCS
  • For long-term-care benefits and case updates.
  • Phone: 888-621-6880
  • Arizona DES
  • For SNAP/Nutrition Assistance, Cash Assistance, or related household benefits.
  • Phone: 855-432-7587

California Benefits

If your loved one received California public benefits:

  • Medi-Cal
  • For Medicaid coverage and related benefit questions.
  • Phone: 800-541-5555
  • Riverside County DPSS
  • For Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs, General Assistance, and other county-administered benefits.
  • Phone: 877-410-8827
  • San Bernardino County Transitional Assistance Department
  • For Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs, General Relief, and other public-assistance programs for San Bernardino County residents.
  • Phone: 877-410-8829

Insurance, Money, Property, and Legal

These usually need to be handled, but they do not all have to happen during the first few days.

This is so that you can update the member record, address unresolved claims, and stop premiums when appropriate. Use the Member Services number printed on the insurance card whenever possible:

  • Living Waters California Plans
  • IEHP
  • SCAN
  • Regal Medical Group
  • Nivano Physicians
  • Living Waters Arizona Plans
  • Arizona Complete Health
  • Health Choice of Arizona
  • ACA StandardHealth with Health Choice
  • BCBS of Arizona
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan / ALTCS
  • IHS
  • TRICARE West
  • VA Community Care
  • Life Insurance
  • Beneficiaries need to contact the insurer to begin a claim.
  • Have the policy number and a certified death certificate available if possible.
  • Banks and Credit Unions
  • Accounts may need to be restricted, transferred, retitled, or closed.
  • Ask what documentation is required before moving money or closing anything.
  • Credit Cards and Loans
  • Credit-card companies, mortgage lenders, auto lenders, and other creditors need to be notified.
  • Do not assume that you personally owe a loved one’s debts simply because you are a family member.
  • Retirement Accounts, Pensions, and Investments
  • Beneficiaries may be entitled to funds or survivor benefits, and account ownership may need to be updated.
  • Contact:
  • Retirement-plan administrators
  • Pension providers
  • IRA custodians
  • Brokerage firms
  • Annuity companies
  • Arizona MVD
  • Vehicles titled in the deceased person’s name may need to be transferred, and families can ask what needs to be done with the driver’s license or state ID.
  • Phone: 602-255-0072
  • Website: Arizona MVD
  • California DMV
  • Vehicles and titles may need to be transferred to an heir, surviving owner, or estate.
  • Phone: 800-777-0133
  • Website: California DMV
  • Tax Preparer or IRS
  • A final tax return may need to be filed, and an estate may have additional tax responsibilities. If your loved one regularly used a CPA or tax preparer, contacting that person first may be easier.
  • Phone: 800-829-1040
  • Website: IRS.gov
  • Credit Bureaus
  • Marking the person’s credit record as deceased can reduce the risk of identity theft and fraudulent new accounts. Contact one of the three main bureaus:
  • Equifax
  • Experian
  • TransUnion

Household Accounts and Everyday Loose Ends

These matter, but most can wait until the more important calls are handled.

  • Utilities
  • Electric
  • Gas
  • Water and sewer
  • Trash
  • Important: Do not immediately shut off utilities if someone still lives in the home or the property has not yet been transferred.
  • Home and Auto Insurance
  • Policies may need to be updated, but coverage may still be necessary while property or vehicles remain part of the estate.
  • Phone, Internet, and Home Services
  • Cellphone
  • Home telephone
  • Internet
  • Cable or satellite
  • Home security
  • Subscriptions and Memberships
  • Streaming services
  • Gyms and clubs
  • Newspapers
  • Recurring deliveries or online services
  • Storage units
  • Easy trick: Review the last several months of bank and credit-card statements.
    Recurring charges will often reveal accounts nobody remembered existed.
  • Mail Forwarding
  • Forwarding mail can help you discover bills, tax documents, insurance notices, and accounts that still need attention.
  • Contact the U.S. Postal Service or visit your loved one’s local Post Office.
  • Phone: 800-275-8777
  • Website: USPS

Grief Support Continues After a Loss

The paperwork that follows a death does not happen separately from grief. Families are often trying to make decisions, return phone calls, manage accounts, and take care of everyday life while also adjusting to the absence of someone they love.

Living Waters Hospice provides bereavement support to the families of our patients for 13 months after a loss, including supportive phone calls and mailings, individual grief support, spiritual support through our chaplain, and access to local grief-support resources.

If you need support while working through the weeks and months ahead, we are still here. You can learn more about our bereavement and grief support here, or call your local Living Waters location below and ask to speak to a bereavement coordinator.

Riverside, CA

Phone: 909-315-8113
Email: csr@lwhospiceca.com
Address: 22300 Van Buren Blvd. Suite 102
Riverside, CA 92518

Hospice Care in Riverside
Golden Valley, AZ

Phone: 928-565-9000
Email: csr@lwhospiceaz.com
Address: 3711 US Highway 68
Golden Valley, AZ 86413

Hospice Care in Golden Valley