The 8 checklists your family will need
What actually happens to bank accounts, retirement plans, insurance, subscriptions, and digital accounts after a death, in plain language. Written for executors and family members in the first weeks after a loss, and verified against the rules that vary by state and country.
Bank & Cash Accounts After a Death
How the family locates, freezes, and claims bank accounts after a death, by ownership type: joint, payable-on-death, or the estate.
Read the guideInvestment & Retirement Accounts After a Death
Brokerage, IRA, 401(k), and pension accounts after a death: why the beneficiary form beats the will, and the inheritance paths for each.
Read the guideInsurance Policies After a Death: Claim Fast, Cancel Smart
Life insurance is usually the fastest money a family receives after a death, but only if they know the policy exists. Plus the cleanup of home, auto, and other policies.
Read the guideHome & Vehicles After a Death: Transfer or Sell
Real estate and cars are usually the largest assets in an estate, and the ones with the most paperwork. How ownership paths, probate, and insurance interact.
Read the guideDebts & Loans After a Death: What the Family Owes
Debts belong to the estate, not to grieving relatives, in most jurisdictions. How to notify creditors, pay in the legal order, and avoid being pressured into paying.
Read the guideSubscriptions & Auto-Payments After a Death
The quiet drain: streaming, SaaS, gym, app stores, and recurring donations keep charging for years after a death. How to find and stop every recurring charge.
Read the guideSocial & Digital Accounts After a Death: Memorialize or Delete
Facebook, Google, Apple, X, and LinkedIn after a death: the two paths (memorialize or delete), the in-life tools (legacy contacts, inactive managers), and what to download first.
Read the guideCryptocurrency & Valuables After a Death
The hardest category: self-custody crypto has no customer-service reset. How the family finds, secures, and values crypto plus physical valuables, without ever storing the keys.
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