Losing a spouse is one of the most emotionally disastrous experiences in life. In the midst of grief, you often face a long and unfamiliar to-do list. From managing finances to checking accounts and notifying institutions, there is no easy way – but there are ways to move forward.

Knowing who you want to contact can relieve emotional and financial stress. Many organizations have the ability to help you get benefits from survivors, update records, and avoid expensive legal issues.

Here are 10 basic organizations that your spouse should contact immediately after his death, and why everyone is important.

Spouse death tissue

1. Social Security Agency (SSA)

The Social Security Bureau should be one of your first calls. If your spouse is receiving benefits, these payments must be stopped immediately to avoid overpayment and you may need to repay.

At the same time, you may be eligible for survivor benefits based on your spouse’s income. These may include a one-time $255 death benefit, if you are 60 or older (or over 50), and dependent children under 18 (19 if still in high school).

You will need to provide your spouse’s social security number, date of death and marriage certificate. Call SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local office in person.

2. Your spouse’s employer or former employer

If your spouse is employed or retired, you should contact their employer quickly. They can help you get your final salary or unused vacation payments, life insurance provided through work, retirement account or pension allocation, health insurance updates (for example, COBRA coverage for surviving spouses), and union benefits or survivor assistance programs.

The HR department can also provide death benefit forms and assist in ending work-related matters. If your spouse retires, the company may still manage pension or health benefits plans that affect you.

3. Life Insurance Company

If your spouse has one or more life insurance policies, contact each company to begin the claim process. Prepare the following preparations:

• Certified copy of death certificate
• Policy Number
• Identification and relationship proof

Expenses can help pay for funerals and medical expenses or replace them as income. The earlier you submit, the sooner you will reduce your financial burden. If you are unsure which company holds the policy, check old paperwork and safes, or consult your financial advisor or insurance agent.

4. Your spouse’s bank and credit union

Even with a shared account, you should notify your spouse of all financial institutions that have an account. Doing so prevents unauthorized transactions, allows transfers or closing accounts, may help determine automatic payments that need to be stopped, and ensures appropriate accounts (especially those with “death” clauses).

If you are listed as a joint account holder, access may be retained. If not, the bank can freeze the account until probate is completed. Bring your death certificate and your ID card when visiting in person. Also, closely monitor account activity to prevent fraud or identity theft.

5. Insurance companies (except life)

In addition to life insurance, your spouse may also hold:

• Auto Insurance
• Homeowner or tenant insurance
• Health Insurance
• Long-term care insurance

Please contact these providers to update the policy, delete spouse’s name, and check for refund or premium changes. If your name is not in the policy, you may need to show proof of shared ownership or residence. Remember that failure to update these policies can lead to confusion or later rejection of claims.

6. Motor Vehicle Department (DMV)

You need to contact DMV to handle vehicle ownership and registration issues. In many states, this includes transferring the title to your name, updating insurance information, canceling your spouse’s driver’s license, and removing your spouse from a shared registration.

Bring a copy of your death certificate, your marriage certificate and identity certificate. Please visit your state’s DMV website for the exact requirements. Although it seems small, failure to update the car record could cause problems with future insurance claims or legal ownership disputes.

7. Credit Bureau

To help prevent identity theft (which is a surprisingly common risk after someone dies), not the main credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and Transunion). Request a credit freeze or mark your spouse’s report as “deceased”. This helps protect their identities and prevents criminals from opening new accounts under their name.

You should also monitor your credit reports for months after their death to ensure no abnormal activity occurs, especially if you share a joint account.

8. Credit card company

Close or update any credit card in the spouse’s name. If you are a co-signer, you may still be responsible for the balance. However, unless the account is jointly owned, authorized users are generally not responsible.

Get your death certificate and account ready. When you use, cancel any duplicate allegations that your spouse may have set up on these cards, such as streaming subscriptions or gym membership. This is also an ideal time to reevaluate your credit profile and determine whether you should merge or close an unused account.

9. Mortgage and loan providers

If you share a mortgage, car loan or personal loan with your spouse, please contact the lender to inform them of their death. You will need to update the loan to your name where appropriate, ask for payment assistance or tolerance options, and submit life insurance documents that may cover the balance of the loan.

Even during sad times, lack of payments can quickly damage your credibility. Communication early to explore hard choices or survivor protection. In some cases, loans may be forgiven based on terms and coverage.

10. Real estate lawyer or probate court

If your spouse has a will or trust, you will need to contact their attorney or start the probate process. Even if your spouse has the least assets, legal oversight helps avoid disputes and ensures correct allocation of assets. A real estate lawyer can assist in interpreting a will or trust, handling a real estate transfer, resolving outstanding debts, and browsing probate laws in a particular state.

If your spouse dies intestately, the court will decide how to allocate assets under the intestate law, which vary by state. Involving professionals can reduce the chaos and delays of already difficult moments.

Help yourself to relieve stress

Navigating the consequences of spouse death is deeply emotionally and administratively overwhelming. While there is no easy way, knowing the organization you want to contact in the first place can relieve unnecessary stress, prevent financial traps and help you start the healing process.

Many of these steps require official documentation, so make multiple certified copies of death certificates as early as possible. Consider keeping a list to track what calls you made and the documents you submitted.

Remember: you don’t have to do everything at once, nor do you have to do it alone. When you need support, contact a trusted friend, family member or professional.

Have you or someone you know gone through this process? What steps can help the most or catch you off guard?

Read more:

6 Things to Do Before Your Spouse Dies

My spouse passed away a year ago: 10 clues It’s time to move on