Dealing with the death of a spouse can be a traumatic experience, both emotionally and financially. While friends and family will often try to do the best they can to support, dealing with financial matters is often left to the surviving partner.
The unexpected loss of a spouse can be deeply challenging. Losing a spouse unexpectedly makes the first year after their passing even more daunting. This is why it can be helpful to understand the steps to take after a spouse’s passing. It can help make things easier and provide some measure of stability and peace of mind.
Here is a step-by-step financial planning list to follow after the loss of a spouse:
Immediate Actions: Financial Steps to Take After a Spouse’s Death?
1. Who to Contact and Notify
You’ve likely already informed close family and friends, and while their emotional support can make handling financial tasks easier, you may need some extra help throughout the process.
Following the loss of your spouse, you will need to get in touch with the Social Security Administration (SSA), insurance agencies, banks, credit bureaus, etc. But you may first want to reach out to your CPA, estate attorney, and financial advisor, who can assist you with the whole process. If you don’t already work with a financial advisor or estate attorney, this is something that you should consider.
2. Obtain an Official Copy of the Death Certificate
This is among the most important financial steps to take after losing a spouse. Without a death certificate, you won’t be able to complete many of the financial and legal tasks ahead, such as claiming insurance benefits, transferring asset ownership, and closing accounts. Usually, the funeral home or cremation service will help to file the legal declaration of death in order to obtain the death certificate.
Immediate Legal and Financial Matters to Take After a Spouse’s Death
3. Review your Estate Planning Documents
After a spouse’s passing, you will want to gather the various estate planning documents, including trusts and your spouse’s will. Both of these documents are important because they will have your spouse’s last wishes and will provide guidelines on how assets are distributed.
If a trust or will was not in place, you may want to consider working with an attorney to guide you through the probate process and to help prove to the courts what your spouse’s wishes were.
These processes are often confusing and complex, so letting an estate lawyer handle them can provide much-needed peace in an especially challenging period. A lawyer can also help protect your interests in the event that any disputes arise among beneficiaries.
Pro tip: If you already have an attorney and team in place, you’re one step ahead. After the loss of a loved one, we work with many people who still need other specialists, such as a CPA and/or attorney. We can recommend a few trusted people or help you understand what to look for in a specialist.
4. Gather and Organize Your Documents
Ideally, you have already kept your important financial documents organized — this will help alleviate some of the stress that comes with financial planning after the loss of your spouse. If not, make this the first step on your list. Gather and organize all important financial documents and account statements so that you are prepared to deal with bills, insurance agencies, credit bureaus, asset transfers, and other necessary financial tasks.
During this step, don’t forget to be kind to yourself. The grieving process is hard and often unpredictable. It helps to make a checklist and go step by step so as not to feel too overwhelmed.
5. Notify Your Insurance Agencies
Another crucial financial step is to contact any insurance companies you and your spouse have policies with. This is not only important for life insurance purposes, but it can also lead to lower monthly insurance costs. With life insurance, the beneficiaries will receive a payout that can be helpful in covering immediate expenses like funeral costs, utility bills, and debts.
6. Notify Your Financial Institutions (Bank Accounts, Investments, etc.)
Ideally, you have already kept your important financial documents organized — this will help alleviate some of the stress that comes with financial planning after the loss of your spouse. If not, make this the first step on your list. Gather and organize all important financial documents and account statements so that you are prepared to deal with bills, insurance agencies, credit bureaus, asset transfers, and other necessary financial tasks.
During this step, don’t forget to be kind to yourself. The grieving process is hard and often unpredictable. It helps to make a checklist and go step by step so as not to feel too overwhelmed.
7. Make a Plan for Short-Term Expenses
The immediate expenses following a spouse’s death — such as funeral costs, hiring an estate lawyer, and monthly bills — can be overwhelming, especially if you are struggling to afford it all. It’s essential that you create a doable plan for how you will handle each expense with your available resources.
You may need to tap into an emergency fund or use credit cards to cover daily expenses. If you are expecting to receive benefits or life insurance payouts, determine when you will receive them and how you will allocate those funds.
8. Contact the SSA
You must notify the Social Security Administration (SSA) upon the death of your spouse. While the funeral director will usually do this, it’s worth double-checking to make sure this has been done. Contacting the SSA is important for several reasons, including:
- It will help initiate the processing of benefits to survivors (you and your children), if applicable, without delay. This can help provide a financial cushion for your family.
- It will help prevent identity theft, which can affect estate taxes and retirement benefits. Identity theft is all too common in the U.S. Every year, fraudsters steal the identities of at least 800,000 deceased people in this country. A quick call to the SSA will ensure this doesn’t happen to you.1
9. Notify Your Spouse’s Current and Former Employers
Getting in touch with your loved one’s current or former employers is another important financial step. Employers often provide their employees with medical, life, and retirement insurance, along with other benefits. The benefits of these policies may extend to you and your kids upon the loss of your spouse.
Further Considerations: Financial Steps to Take After a Spouse’s Death
10. Check in With Veterans Affairs (VA) if Your Spouse Served in the Military
If your spouse was in the military, they may have been receiving benefits that could extend to you and your children. Be sure to contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to find out whether you qualify for any benefits,2 including health care, life insurance, or money to help pay for school or training. The VA can also help offset funeral costs and provide you with bereavement counseling if needed.
11. Contact the Three Major Credit Bureaus
The three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — can help you determine the number of credit accounts registered in their name and whether there are any outstanding debts. All you have to do is request copies of your loved one’s credit reports.
Credit bureaus can also help prevent the financial implications of fraudsters stealing your deceased spouse’s identity. They do so by placing a deceased alert3 on their report that cautions creditors not to issue credit in your spouse’s name.
12. If You Have Children in College, Contact the Financial Aid Office
College education is expensive. Without your spouse’s financial support, paying for your kids’ education could become even more difficult. To ensure their education isn’t affected, be sure to reach out to their respective financial aid offices. These offices can provide you with various options for paying for tuition, such as taking federal student loans or applying for available grants and scholarships.
13. Make a List of Your Bills and Their Due Dates
Did your spouse pay or track any bills? Now is the time to start gathering all bills in their name. Make sure you know the due dates of each to avoid penalty fees and prevent essential utilities from being cut off.
This is among the most vital financial steps to take after losing your spouse. To start, go through all bill accounts and credit card payments. If the accounts or cards were in your spouse’s name, you will have to contact the bank to give you access or switch the bills to your name. Once you have a list of the payments, note the due dates and the balances of each bill. Try to set up all or most of your bills on autopay to ensure you don’t miss any payments.
Pro tip: Are you feeling overwhelmed by the tasks ahead? Break them down into manageable steps. Take some time to identify what needs to be done and what priority each item needs.
14. Build Your New Financial Plan
Financial planning may not be top of mind, but it’s an important step to take after the loss of a spouse. Building a financial plan will help you organize your assets and live comfortably within your means as you look forward.
This is where a financial advisor can be beneficial. They can help you handle expenses and income, evaluate your financial position, and provide insight into managing your wealth.
Additionally, In the midst of grieving, it may be overwhelming to think about everything you should be doing. Working with a financial advisor will ensure that you are not alone in this process. At such a critical time, financial and emotional support are deeply intertwined.
Pro tip: If you’re searching for financial advice, certified professionals are your best bet. When researching financial advisors, look for someone with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP) designation.
The First Year After Losing a Spouse Is the Hardest
Losing a spouse is one of the hardest things you’ll ever go through, but getting your affairs in order is essential — your future self will thank you for it. Above, we discussed a number of important financial steps to take after a spouse’s passing, but not all of them may apply to you. We do think that meeting with a financial advisor is a valuable step that can help relieve some stress during this difficult time.
At Team Hewins, we’re here for you when you most need it. Our team of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals will analyze your current financial situation and develop an aligned plan that lets you easily and comfortably navigate the next steps in your life.
Want to learn more about financial help after the loss of a spouse? Contact us today.
1. “Identity Theft After Death: A Widespread Problem.” Empathy, www.empathy.com/identity-theft-prevention/identity-theft-after-death-a-widespread-problem.
2. VA Benefits for Family and Caregivers | Veterans Affairs.” Veterans Affairs, 8 July 2024, www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/#benefits-for-spouses-dependent.
3. “Agencies to Notify When Someone Dies.” USAGov | U.S. General Services Administration, 13 Nov. 2025, https://www.usa.gov/report-a-death.