What to Do First After a Loss

Before anything else: take a deep breath

In the first day or two, almost nothing on this list is an administrative emergency. Funeral arrangements and telling people who need to know come first. The paperwork will still be there next week, and very little of it has a deadline measured in days.

1. The First Few Days Immediate

Get legal pronouncement & start death certificate Staff handles this at a hospital or hospice. The funeral home or cremation provider files it with Colorado Vital Records. Nothing else can start until this exists. Order more certified death certificates than you think you need Rule of thumb: Count every bank account, vehicle, investment, insurer, and property, then add 5. 10 to 15 copies is normal for a typical estate. Secure the property, vehicles & pets Lock the residence, arrange pet foster care immediately, ensure homeowner insurance remains in force, and do not let family begin taking personal items yet. Locate the original will & estate papers Check home safes, safe deposit boxes, or check with the county district court where they resided.

2. The First Two Weeks Short Term

Notify Social Security Administration (SSA) Confirm the funeral home reported it. Check for survivor benefits and stop direct deposits to avoid retroactive clawbacks. Notify banks — but do not empty individual accounts POD/TOD accounts pass automatically. Individual accounts require court authority or a Small Estate Affidavit (JDF 999). Notify employers & check for group life insurance Employer life insurance policies and accrued PTO payouts are among the most commonly overlooked assets. Flag files at credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) Prevents posthumous identity theft on the deceased’s credit profile. Cancel recurring subscriptions & auto-renewals Review bank/card statements for streaming, gym, software, and storage unit fees.

3. The First 1 to 3 Months Estate Settlement

Determine if you qualify for Colorado Small Estate Affidavit If personal property is $88,000 or less (2026 deaths) and there is no real estate to transfer, you can skip probate completely. Build a master inventory of all assets & liabilities Consolidate account numbers, balances, titles, debts, and beneficiary designations into one master file. Transfer vehicle titles at the County Motor Vehicle Office Bring certified death certificate, title, and either TOD proof, Small Estate Affidavit, or Letters of Appointment. Do not pay estate debts out of your personal pocket Relatives are not personally liable. Debts are paid by the estate strictly according to statutory priority. Consult a CPA for final individual tax return (Form 1040) Note: Colorado has no state estate tax or inheritance tax.

What can genuinely wait (Do not rush)

In the first weeks, these are not emergencies, whatever anyone tells you:

Clearing out the house or storage units.
Selling the car, home, or real estate.
Dividing personal items among family members.
Any decision anyone is pressuring you to make quickly.

Grief impairs decision-making. Anything irreversible can generally wait 60 days.

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1. The First Few Days Immediate

2. The First Two Weeks Short Term

3. The First 1 to 3 Months Estate Settlement

What can genuinely wait (Do not rush)