1. Hospital discharge (or release) documents must be completed by hospital staff.
2. Deceased can only be released via the hospital morgue. To avoid delays, please allow the staff time to perform the required process for transfer.
3. If someone passes away in the ER, funeral service provider cannot dispatch transportation until a signing doctor has been confirmed. ER doctors DO NOT SIGN death certificates.
4. If the deceased has not seen a physician in the last 21 days, the case may be referred to the local county’s Coroner’s Office.
5. Give Funeral Service contact information to the nurse or Medical Examiner so that they can call for pickup of the body when it is ready for release.

• The Social Security Administration: If the deceased was receiving Social Security benefits, you need to stop the checks. Some family members may be eligible for death benefits from Social Security. Generally, funeral directors report deaths to the Social Security Administration, but, ultimately, it’s the survivors’ responsibility to tell the SSA. Contact your local SSA office to do so. The agency will let Medicaid know that your loved one died.
• Life insurance companies: You’ll need a death certificate and policy numbers to make claims on any policies the deceased had.
• Banks, financial institutions: If your loved one left a list of accounts and online passwords, it will be much easier to close or change accounts. If the person didn’t, you’ll need a copy of the death certificate.
• Financial advisers, stockbrokers: Determine the beneficiary listed on accounts. Depending on the type of asset, the beneficiary may get access to the account or benefit simply by filling out appropriate forms and providing a copy of the death certificate (no executor needed).
• Credit agencies: To prevent identity theft, send copies of the death certificate to the three major firms: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

Cancel driver’s license
This removes the deceased’s name from the records of the Department of Motor Vehicles and prevents identity theft. Contact the local DMV for specific instructions, but you’ll need a copy of the death certificate.

Close credit card accounts
Contact customer service and tell the representative that you’re closing the account on behalf of a deceased relative. You’ll need to provide a copy of the death certificate to do this, too. Keep records of accounts you close, and inform the executor of any outstanding balances on the cards.

Terminate insurance policies
Contact providers to end coverage for the deceased on home, auto and health insurance policies, and ask that any unused premium be returned.

Delete or memorialize social media accounts
You can delete Facebook or Instagram accounts, but some survivors choose to turn them into a memorial for their loved one instead. A memorialized Facebook profile stays up with the word “Remembering” in front of the deceased’s name. Friends will be able to post on the timeline. Whether you choose to delete or memorialize, you’ll need to contact the company with copies of your ID as well as the death certificate.

Close email accounts
To prevent identity theft and fraud, it’s a good idea to shut down the deceased’s email account. If the person set up a funeral plan or a will, she may have included log-in information so you can do this yourself. If not, you’ll need copies of the death certificate to cancel an email account. The specifics vary by company, but most require a death certificate and verification that you are kin or the executor.