Start by situation

Which of these is closest to yours?

Pick the situation that fits, and we'll take you straight to the right next step.

At home

Someone died at home

Expected or unexpected death, who to call, and when the funeral home can come.

Read first steps → Hospital

Someone died in a hospital

Release forms, funeral home transfer, documents, and what to ask before leaving.

See hospital steps → Executor

I am handling the estate

Gather assets, debts, documents, account details, and values before making distributions.

Start the inventory → Funeral costs

If money is tight

Lowest-cost options, public assistance, veterans benefits, and price rights.

Compare options →

Which one fits you right now?

Someone died at home

This path is for you if a death just happened at home — expected, through hospice, or suddenly. It covers who to call first, when the body can be moved, and what not to do before help arrives.

Someone died in a hospital

This path is for you if the death happened in a hospital or care facility. Hospital staff handle some of the immediate steps, but you still need to know what forms to sign, what to ask for before you leave, and how the transfer to a funeral home works.

I am handling the estate

This path is for you if you've been named executor, or you're the person quietly taking on the paperwork. It's less about the first 48 hours and more about the weeks and months of gathering accounts, debts, and documents before anything can be distributed.

If money is tight

This path is for you if funeral costs feel out of reach right now. You have more options and more rights than most funeral homes volunteer up front — including price protections by law and assistance programs many families never hear about.

The first 24–48 hours, regardless of path

A few things apply no matter which situation you picked above.