When someone you love dies, the world expects you to grieve and to file paperwork at the same time. It’s a cruel ask. So let’s make one part of it simpler. Almost nothing on this list has to happen today, and a great deal of what people rush to do in the first week is better left for later.

Here is a gentle order of operations, what genuinely needs attention soon, and what can wait until you have the strength for it.

What this covers
  1. The first few days
  2. The first 30 days
  3. The next 90 days
  4. The year ahead
  5. What can wait

The first few days

In the first days, keep the circle small and the tasks few:

  • Order certified death certificates, and order more than you think you’ll need, usually ten or more. Banks, insurers, and agencies each want an original.
  • Secure the home and any pets. Bring in mail, set a light timer, make sure animals are cared for.
  • Locate the estate planning documents, the will, any trust, and instructions about funeral or burial wishes.
  • Notify the closest family and a few trusted friends. That’s enough for now.

That’s it. There is no bank that needs calling today, no account that must be closed this week.

There is almost nothing here that must be done today. Grief first. The paperwork will keep.

The first 30 days

Over the first month, a few notifications matter and a few cautions matter more:

  • Notify Social Security, and any pension or employer for retirement benefits.
  • Contact life insurance companies to begin claims.
  • Find the estate planning attorney who prepared the documents, or a probate attorney if there were none.
  • Do not start paying the deceased’s debts out of your own pocket or rushing to settle bills. Debts are paid by the estate, in a specific legal order, and paying the wrong ones first can create real problems.
  • Don’t cancel everything yet. Redirect mail, but leave accounts and utilities in place until you know what the estate needs.

The next 90 days

This is the stretch where the formal administration begins. If there’s a will, the named personal representative typically petitions the probate court to be appointed. If there’s a trust, the successor trustee can usually step in without court involvement. Either way, the work is similar:

  • Inventory the assets and gather date-of-death valuations.
  • Open an estate or trust bank account, and never mix estate money with your own.
  • Provide the required notices to beneficiaries and creditors.
  • Apply for any benefits the survivors are entitled to.

This is also the point where having a guide helps most. Most families never see the machinery of administration, and that’s by design, but someone has to run it correctly.

The year ahead

Over the following months, the estate is brought to a close: a final income tax return is filed, any remaining claims are resolved, assets are distributed according to the will or trust, and a final accounting is prepared. Federal estate tax affects almost no one, the exemption is in the millions, so for the vast majority of families this is a matter of careful settling, not a tax event.

What not to do in the first weeks
  • Don’t pay the deceased’s debts from your own money.
  • Don’t distribute or give away belongings before the estate is properly opened.
  • Don’t rush to sell the house or make big, permanent decisions.

What can wait

Clearing out the house. Sorting the closets. Deciding whether to keep or sell the home. These feel urgent because they’re visible, but they are almost never time-sensitive, and doing them while raw often leads to regret. Give yourself permission to wait. The people who love you would rather you grieve well than file quickly.

This article is general information for Michigan families and is not legal advice. Laws and benefit figures change, and every family's situation is different. For guidance on your specific circumstances, please schedule a consultation with our office.