First 48 Hours After a Death: What to Do (Checklist)
What to Do in the First 48 Hours After a Loved One Dies in North Carolina
The hours immediately following a death are among the hardest of your life. You are grieving while simultaneously being asked to make decisions and take actions that feel impossibly practical. This guide is here to help.
This checklist covers what actually needs to happen in the first 48 hours after a death in North Carolina. Not everything needs to happen immediately, and not every item will apply to your situation. Read through, take a breath, and focus on what matters most right now.
You do not have to do this alone.
A Note Before You Start
There is no single right way to handle the first hours after a loss. Every family is different, every death is different. Some of what is listed here can wait a day or two. A few items genuinely cannot.
We have organized this list by priority so you know what needs to happen urgently, what can happen within the first day, and what can wait until day two or beyond.
If you are managing this process for an estate, you will eventually need to open probate in North Carolina. When you are ready, our guide on how to start probate walks through that process step by step.
Immediate (First Few Hours)
Get an Official Pronouncement of Death
If your loved one died at home, in hospice, or anywhere outside a hospital, you will need an official pronouncement of death. Who handles this depends on the circumstances:
- Hospice patient at home: The hospice nurse typically handles the pronouncement. Call your hospice provider immediately.
- Death at home (not in hospice): Call 911. A medical professional or the medical examiner will respond.
- Death in a hospital or nursing facility: The attending physician or facility staff will handle this.
Do not attempt to transport the body or make arrangements before an official pronouncement.
Contact a Funeral Home
Once there is an official pronouncement, you can contact a funeral home to arrange transport of the body. You do not need to have all the details figured out. The funeral home will guide you through immediate decisions.
If your loved one had a pre-planned funeral or burial arrangement, locate those documents now. The information may be with their will, in a document vault, or with the funeral home directly.
A few things to think about early:
- Burial versus cremation (this may be specified in the will or in pre-arranged documents)
- Whether you want a viewing, visitation, or service
- Approximate timeline for services
You are not obligated to make final decisions immediately. Most funeral homes allow families time to grieve before finalizing everything.
Secure the Home and Valuables
If the deceased lived alone, someone needs to go to the home as soon as possible to:
- Secure doors and windows
- Collect any mail (to prevent it from piling up and signaling an empty home)
- Locate important documents (will, insurance policies, financial account information)
- Ensure pets are cared for
- Turn off the stove, check appliances
If there are valuables in the home (jewelry, cash, collectibles), consider whether a trusted family member should be present or whether the home needs added security. Unfortunately, property disputes among family members can start early. Keeping accurate records of everything helps prevent misunderstandings.
Within the First 24 Hours
Notify Immediate Family Members
There is no easy way to make these calls. Assign someone to notify close family if you are not in a position to do so yourself. It is generally better to have a single person making notifications so that people are not hearing the news secondhand in inconsistent ways.
Prioritize:
- Spouse or domestic partner
- Adult children
- Siblings
- Parents (if living)
Extended family, friends, and colleagues can be notified over the next few days. Social media announcements, if planned, should wait until all close family has been personally notified.
Locate the Will
This is important to do early, but it does not need to happen in the first hour. When you have a moment, begin looking for:
- The original will (not a copy, the original)
- Any trust documents
- Power of attorney documents (these expire at death, but they may contain useful information)
- Instructions left by the deceased about their wishes
Common places people keep wills: home filing cabinets, a home safe, with their attorney, at a bank safe deposit box, or in a document storage service.
If you cannot locate a will in the first 48 hours, do not panic. It may take several days to locate estate documents, and the probate process does not require immediate action.
Request Copies of the Death Certificate
The funeral home typically handles obtaining the official death certificate from the county register of deeds. You will need multiple certified copies, as many institutions require an original certified copy rather than a photocopy.
For guidance on exactly how many to order, see our article on how many death certificates you need. The short answer: order more than you think you need. Most families need between eight and fifteen copies for a typical estate.
Contact Life Insurance Carriers (If Known)
If you know of life insurance policies, contact the carriers to report the death. Most carriers require:
- A certified copy of the death certificate
- The policy number
- The insured’s full legal name and date of birth
Many policies pay out relatively quickly once the required documents are submitted. Getting this process started early can ease financial pressure on the estate.
Within 48 Hours
Arrange Temporary Pet Care
If the deceased had pets, ensure they are being cared for. This seems minor but can become a real issue if overlooked. Find a family member, neighbor, or boarding facility that can care for animals while longer-term arrangements are figured out.
Notify Nearby Neighbors (If Appropriate)
If the home will be unoccupied, a trusted neighbor can keep an eye on the property. This is a simple but effective way to prevent issues.
Begin an Asset and Account List
You do not need a complete inventory yet, but start jotting down what you know about:
- Bank accounts and financial institutions
- Investment accounts, retirement accounts
- Real estate owned
- Vehicles
- Life insurance policies
- Any known debts (mortgage, car loans, credit cards)
This preliminary list will form the basis of the formal estate inventory you will eventually need to file with the court. North Carolina requires executors to file a complete inventory within 90 days of qualifying. For details, see our guide on how to create an estate inventory in NC.
Consider Whether Anyone Needs Immediate Financial Access
If your loved one was the primary earner or bill payer in the household, there may be urgent financial concerns: mortgage payments, utility bills, grocery money for dependents. Joint account holders typically retain access to joint accounts. But if accounts were solely in the deceased’s name, access may be restricted until the estate is opened.
Talk to a probate attorney or financial institution if you have concerns about immediate financial access. North Carolina does have some provisions for surviving spouses in this situation.
Plan for the Memorial Service
Work with the funeral home to finalize arrangements. Decisions to make include:
- Date and time of service
- Location (funeral home chapel, church, graveside, another venue)
- Who will officiate
- Obituary (most funeral homes offer assistance writing this)
- Floral arrangements, music, readings
- Reception or gathering after the service
If costs are a concern, funeral homes are required by federal law (the FTC Funeral Rule) to provide an itemized price list. You are allowed to compare options and make choices based on budget.
What Does NOT Need to Happen in the First 48 Hours
It is easy to feel pressure to take care of everything immediately. Here is what can genuinely wait:
- Opening the probate estate (you have time, though you should not wait more than a few months)
- Notifying Social Security or the employer (this can happen in the first week)
- Closing accounts or canceling subscriptions
- Distributing any personal belongings
- Making major decisions about real estate
Taking precipitous action on these items, especially distributing property or closing accounts before the estate is formally opened, can create legal complications.
Taking Care of Yourself
This checklist exists because practical matters cannot wait indefinitely, but none of it is more important than you. Grief is not a problem to be managed. It is a natural response to loss, and it deserves space.
If you have other family members or friends who can take on tasks, let them help. People who want to support you often feel helpless; giving someone a specific task is a gift to them as well as to you.
Eat. Sleep when you can. Drink water. The estate matters will still be there tomorrow.
How Afterpath Helps Families in the First Days
The period immediately after a death is chaotic and emotionally exhausting. Afterpath is designed to bring order to the chaos when you are ready for it.
Pathfinder, Afterpath’s estate guide, gives you a personalized walkthrough of everything that needs to happen at each stage of settling the estate. Rather than searching through government websites and legal resources in your most vulnerable moments, you get clear answers in plain English.
Afterpath’s task management system organizes every estate task by phase, so you always know what needs to happen next. You will never wonder whether you have missed a deadline or forgotten a step.
The document vault gives you a secure place to store everything: the will, death certificates, insurance policies, correspondence with the court. Organized, accessible, and protected.
When you are ready to formally open the estate, Afterpath’s NC compliance engine tracks every North Carolina-specific deadline automatically, including the 90-day inventory requirement and creditor notice publication rules.
You do not have to have everything figured out in the first 48 hours to start using Afterpath. Many families join the platform in the first week after a loss, when they are just beginning to understand what settling an estate actually involves.
Frequently Asked Questions About the First 48 Hours
Do I need to call the police if someone dies at home? If the death was unexpected, sudden, or under suspicious circumstances, yes, call 911 immediately. If the death was expected (such as a hospice patient or someone with a terminal illness under medical care), follow the guidance of the hospice or healthcare team. They will typically instruct you on next steps.
What if I cannot find the will in the first 48 hours? Do not panic. Search the most likely locations: home files, safes, attorney’s office, bank safe deposit box. The probate process does not begin immediately, and you have time to conduct a thorough search.
How quickly do I need to contact the funeral home? As soon as possible after an official pronouncement, typically within a few hours. Most funeral homes operate around the clock for initial calls.
Can I start distributing belongings to family members right away? No. Wait until the estate is formally opened and the probate process begins. Distributing assets before that can create legal problems and potential disputes with creditors or other heirs.
How does Afterpath help right after a death? Afterpath’s platform guides executors and family members through the full estate settlement process, starting from the very beginning. Join the waitlist to get early access and see how Afterpath can support your family through this process.
Next Steps
Once you have made it through the first 48 hours, turn your attention to the first week. Our guide on what to do in the first week after a death in NC covers the next phase of practical steps, including ordering additional death certificates, notifying employers and government agencies, and beginning the process of formally opening the estate.
You are doing the right thing by getting informed. That matters.
Ready to make this easier?
Afterpath guides you through every step of the probate process.
Join the Waitlist