Dealing with the death of a loved one is never easy, but it is an inevitable part of life. If you've recently lost a loved one, you may be wondering what steps need to be taken to manage their affairs. We've made a comprehensive list of things to do after a loved one dies, and classified them according to their urgency.

What to Do Immediately After Someone Dies

After the death of your loved one, you should do the following as soon as possible:

1. Make Arrangements for Dependents

If your loved one had any children or pets under their care, make arrangements to ensure they're looked after.

2. Consider Organ Donation

Because the donation of organs following a death is time-sensitive, you should check to see whether "DONOR" is printed on their driver's license. If it is not, contact the NZ Transport Agency and ask whether they've recorded your loved one's organ donation preference in their database, as the driver's license may not have been updated.

Also check to see whether your loved one's organ donation preference has been recorded elsewhere, such as in their will or advanced directive.

3. Alert Their Employer and Loved Ones

You should alert their employer, whether it was a paid position or volunteer position, as soon as possible. You should also contact family and friends of the deceased to give them the news, so that they can begin to make plans for attending the funeral.

4. Secure and Manage Their Property

If your loved one's property is left unoccupied, it's important to secure it as soon as possible, to prevent any damage or theft. Lock all doors and windows. You should also empty their fridge and water any plants.

You may also want to consider informing a neighbor of the situation and asking them to collect any incoming mail.

If your loved one was a tenant, be sure to inform their landlord of their passing.

5. Locate the Last Will

This will usually be kept in your loved one's home, but their lawyer may also have a copy. It is important to note that the executor is named within this document, and is responsible for carrying out some of the tasks listed here, including starting the process of probate.

Additionally, the will may contain specific wishes regarding funeral arrangements, so it is important to read through the will before making any funeral arrangements.

If your loved one does not have a will, and you're unsure of what to do, read What to Know When Someone Dies Without a Will, where we explain the procedures for settling an estate when your loved one has died intestate.

6. Obtain Authorization for Burial or Cremation

The authorization required for burial or cremation will depend on the circumstances of the deceased. In most cases, and given the deceased was over 28 days of age, a Certificate of Cause of Death will be issued by the nurse or doctor charged with your loved one's care. For those deceased under 28 days of age and stillbirths, a Certificate of Causes of Fetal and Neonatal Death will be issued. Miscarriages do not require any legal authorization for burial or cremation.

A verification of death will be undergone, when deaths occur which are "reportable deaths", usually those which are without known cause, suicides, unnatural (except in cases of accidental death where the deceased was over 70 and died due to physical problems linked to age), or violent. This verification process will accompany investigation by a coroner, and possibly the police, depending on the circumstances. In cases where a verification of death is undertaken, an Order for Disposal of Body (coroner's authorization) will be issued instead of a Certificate of Cause of Death.

If the deceased will be cremated, you also need to obtain a Certificate of Medical Practitioner (signed by a doctor) and a Permission to Cremate (signed by a medical referee), and complete an Application for Cremation. These forms need to be submitted to the crematorium.

Note: none of these documents constitute a death certificate, though medical professionals might refer to them as such.

7. Begin Funeral Planning

Confirm whether any arrangements have already been made, or whether your loved one has indicated any wishes for their funeral, by reviewing their will and any accompanying documentation.

You should also check with close members of your loved one's family to see whether your loved one had expressed any specific wishes prior to their passing.

The most immediate aspect of funeral planning will involve transport of the deceased. Before committing to transport the body to a specific funeral service provider, you should always obtain a comprehensive, and itemized, quotation for funeral services. When the body is already in their care, funeral directors may charge accordingly.

As part of this process, consider:

Military service. If your loved one was a member of the military, and depending on the circumstances of their service, they may be eligible for a military funeral and/or funeral grants from either NZDF or Veterans' Affairs (read on for the section where we cover funeral grants in greater detail). RSA involvement in funerals is also an option.

Affiliation with other organizations. If your loved one was affiliated with any religious organizations or other organizations, you may want to involve them in the funeral planning process. Denominational cemeteries are also an option.

8. Buy a Coffin, Urn, or Casket

If you need a coffin or casket, consider ordering from a reputable supplier like Noble Coffin. We are one of very few stockists of American style caskets in New Zealand. Ordering is as simple as a few clicks or a phone call, and delivery is free of charge. We think you'll be happy with our pricing and service.

Two of Our Popular Models

What to Do in the Days After Someone Dies

8. Write the Obituary

Because it will usually include the details of the funeral or memorial service, it is important to write the obituary within a few days of the death of your loved one.

If you need help writing the obituary, consider reading How to Write an Obituary, where we offer step by step instructions and an obituary template for your use.

9. Forward Mail and Cancel Publication Subscriptions

To prevent mail from piling up at your loved one's home, a potential risk for burglary as it indicates the home is unoccupied, follow this important step.

Contact NZ Post to inform them of your loved one's death and have their mail forwarded. If your loved one had subscribed to any publications, make sure these are cancelled.

10. Monitor Incoming Bills

Keep track of your loved one's bills. If the estate is valued at less than $15000, the executor does not need court authority to deal with the estate and can pay bills immediately.

The only exception to this is if there is dispute over who will be the executor or administrator, in which case, court approval is needed to appoint one.

What to Do Immediately After the Funeral

11. Register the Death

Within 3 working days of the burial or cremation, the death must be registered with Births, Deaths and Marriages.

If you're using a funeral director, they'll handle this for you.
If you're organizing the funeral and burial yourself, you'll need to do this.

Registration of the death is free.

12. Obtain a Death Certificate

For many of the important steps listed below, including administration of the estate, applying for funeral grants, and closing bank accounts, you'll need to obtain the Death Certificate. This document is automatically issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages, but to obtain a copy you'll need to apply and pay $33 (plus a shipping fee, if applicable).

Within 7-10 working days of applying, you should receive the Death Certificate.

13. Cancel Services

Cancel internet, telephone, cable, and any other services to which your loved one was subscribed.

14. Cancel Policies

Cancel homeowner's insurance, auto insurance, and any other insurance policies held by your loved one.

15. Alert Financial Institutions

When notified of the death, the deceased customer's bank accounts will be frozen, and from then on only the executor or administrator of the estate will be able to manage the account. This is an important step to take, as it protects the deceased's accounts.

The exact process and documentation required to complete the closure of accounts and pay out funds will depend on the value of the funds held by the bank, whether there is a will, and the bank's policies. For more information, contact the deceased's bank(s).

16. Contact a CPA or Estates Lawyer

If the deceased was working with a CPA or estates lawyer, you may want to discuss the estate with them.

17. Apply for Probate or Letters of Administration

Apply for probate or letters of administration at the High Court in Wellington. Note that this is not required if the estate is a "small estate".

Small estates are those not including any ownership of land and worth less than $15,000.

What to Do in the Weeks After the Funeral

18. Notify Relevant Authorities and Other Organizations

You will need to notify various authorities and organizations of your loved one's death. This may include:

the Department of Internal Affairs or New Zealand Passport Office (for the cancellation of your loved one's passport). You can mail their passport to either the New Zealand Passport Office in Wellington, or the nearest Internal Affairs office, and include a note with the date and place of death.
Inland Revenue. Let them know whether the deceased had a student loan, held a KiwiSaver account, or paid or received child support. It may also be necessary to file a tax return for the period up to the date of the death.
their insurer(s).
Work and Income (if they were receiving any benefit).
Senior Services (if they were receiving NZ Superannuation).
Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency) if they had a driver's licence or were registered as the owner of one or more vehicles.
their KiwiSaver provider, if they had a KiwiSaver account.
Tenancy Services, if they were a tenant. To apply for a refund of their tenancy bond, you'll need to show them a copy of the death certificate and proof you are the estate executor or administrator.
Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), if their home was jointly owned. The surviving owner will need to apply to have the property title transferred to them. It is recommended that a lawyer handles this process.

For your convenience, you can also use myTrove to notify multiple organizations simultaneously, free of charge.

19. Close or Memorialize Social Media Accounts

Depending on the platform, you may be able to memorialize the deceased's social media account. For those platforms which do not provide this option, you may wish to close the account.

20. Close Email Accounts

Before closing email accounts, make sure that all important emails for the deceased have come in, or that emails are being redirected to an active account.

Note that if you do not have the password(s), a death certificate will typically be required to close email accounts.

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