The First Thirty Days

The paperwork after a death, in the order it needs doing.

Somebody has to order the death certificates and make the phone calls and figure out which bills are actually yours. Right now that person is you.

This guide is about the paperwork. It doesn't pretend to be about grief — there are better books for that. This is the one that tells you how many certified copies to order and which call to make first.

A 30-page guide with templates, worksheets, and a printable one-page card. Instant PDF download.

What this covers, and what it doesn't

This is the first thirty days: notifications, documents, protecting the estate from fraud, and knowing what you are and aren't responsible for.

It does not walk you through probate. That's deliberate. Probate is administered state by state and often county by county — thresholds, deadlines, and requirements all vary, and a national guide that pretended otherwise would be confidently wrong. This covers what to do before probate, and how to tell whether you need a lawyer for the rest.

Four things most people get wrong

• You are probably not responsible for their debts. The CFPB is explicit: survivors aren't liable unless they co-signed, were a joint account holder, or fall under a narrow exception. Being an authorized user on a credit card does not make you responsible. It is illegal for a collector to suggest otherwise.
• The funeral home does not apply for the $255 death benefit. They report the death. The application is separate, it's yours to file, and there's a two-year deadline.
• Order far more death certificates than you think. The Identity Theft Resource Center recommends at least twelve. Institutions require certified originals, not photocopies.
• Your obituary may be a security problem. Publishing a full date of birth, home address, and the exact time of the service tells a thief who to impersonate and when the house is empty.

What's inside

• The First Week — The notification order and why the sequence matters. Nine organizations, in order. Plus five things not to do.
• What You Are Not Responsible For — The four exceptions that create real liability, the authorized-user distinction collectors don't volunteer, what the FDCPA prohibits, and a script for when they call.
• Benefits You May Be Owed — Social Security survivor benefits and the lump-sum payment, plus the twelve places money commonly turns up that families forget to check.
• Protecting Them From Fraud — Ghosting, what to leave out of an obituary, and the credit bureau steps that actually close the window.
• Do You Need a Lawyer? — Eight signals that mean yes, three that mean probably not, and how to ask about fee structure before you engage.
• The Thirty-Day Sequence — Everything above, laid out day by day.

Templates and worksheets

• Death certificate tracker — who got one, when, confirmed received
• Notification log
• Debt triage — sort what's yours from what isn't
• Asset inventory
• Benefits checklist with deadlines
• Four letters: credit bureau notification, debt collector cease contact, account closure request, employer notification
• One-page printable card

Who this is for

Whoever ended up handling it. Executors, next of kin, adult children, surviving spouses, and the friend who volunteered because nobody else could face it.

Why it's researched, not generic

Social Security procedures and deadlines come from SSA guidance. Debt liability rules come from CFPB guidance and FTC policy on collecting debts of the deceased. Identity protection guidance comes from the New York State Department of State and the Identity Theft Resource Center.

Where sources conflicted — specifically on whether notifying one credit bureau reaches the other two — the guide says so and takes the more protective path.

Details

• Format: PDF (instant digital download)
• Length: 30 pages
• Delivery: Available immediately after purchase, plus a download link by email
• License: Single-user, personal use
• Works on phone, tablet, desktop, or printed

This guide is educational material, not legal, tax, or financial advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It includes a directory of free help: the SSA, the CFPB, your county probate clerk, your state bar referral service, legal aid, and the Area Agency on Aging. Probate and estate law vary significantly by state. Verify current requirements where the deceased lived before acting.

Backed by Fresh Start Library. Practical guides for the moments that come with paperwork and a deadline.