Checklist for survivors of a Deceased person
After a death, there is often a lot to deal with. The checklist helps you take things one step at a time, at a pace that suits you. You can also adapt it to your needs and situation.
You can print or save the checklist to easily see what is most important to do right now and in the near future.
Customize the checklist
You can customize the checklist by specifying when the death occurred or by selecting the topics that are relevant to you.
Showing the entire checklist
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Estate
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Inform people of the death
- Next of kin must be informed as soon as possible after the death
- Home Help Service
- Family, friends, employers, colleagues and neighbours
- Cleaning company
- E-mail contacts
- Associations
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Save and sort papers
- Collect bills, contracts and account statements in a folder or binder
- Open mail sent to the deceased and to her/his estate
- Forward mail to the person in charge of the estate
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Contact the bank
- Contact the deceased's bank about bills and discontinue direct debits
- Draft a power of attorney for the person or persons who will manage the finances of the estate
- Following the distribution of the estate, close the deceased’s accounts
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Tax return
- Prepare a tax return for the deceased’s company
- Verify that the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) has the correct address
- Prepare a tax return for the estate. The Swedish Tax Agency will send a form to the address of the estate when the time comes to do this. Tax return must be submitted the calender year after the death.
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Mail and change of address
- Arrange for mail to be forwarded to the person who is in charge of the estate
- If mail continues to be sent to the deceased, notify the sender of the forwarding address or extend the forwarding of the deceased’s mail.
- Verify that the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) has the correct address
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Estate inventory
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Prior to the estate inventory
- Decide whether you will prepare the estate inventory yourself or hire professional help
- Find out if the deceased had particular wishes about who should handle the estate inventory
- Find out if there is anything recorded in the Lifearchive of the Swedish Association of Authorised Funeral Homes (Auktoriserade begravningsbyråer)
- Find out if there is anything recorded in the White Archive at Fonus
- Collect information needed for the estate inventory
- Make a division of property, if the deceased was cohabiting and not married
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After the estate inventory
- After the estate inventory, carry out the division of property (if the deceased lived with her/his partner and they were not married)
- Once the estate inventory is completed, write an estate distribution document (if there are numerous inheritors)
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Send the estate inventory to the Swedish Tax Agency
- Once the estate inventory is completed, send the estate inventory to the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). It must submitted no later than four months after the death.
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Certificates and compensation
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Certificates and powers of attorney
- Order an extract of the Population Register (dödsfallsintyg med släktutredning) with a relatives report via the Tax Information Centre (Skatteupplysningen) at 0771-567 567, or through a funeral home
- Obtain a custody certificate ( vårdnadsintyg) from the funeral home if you intend to receive help from someone who is not included in the relatives report
- Write a power of attorney if a person will be managing the estate and there are numerous parties to the estate
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Financial compensation
- Find out if you are entitled to financial compensation from group life insurance through the deceased's employer
- Find out if you are entitled to financial compensation from insurance policies
- Find out if you are entitled to a housing benefit or housing supplement from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan). You must apply for these yourself.
- If you are a pensioner, you can find out if you are entitled to a housing supplement from the Swedish Pensions Agency (Pensionsmyndigheten). You must apply for it yourself.
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Funeral
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Before planning the funeral, find out
- Did the deceased have any special wishes regarding her/his funeral?
- Did the deceased want to be buried, for her/his ashes to be buried, or for her/his ashes to be scattered in a memorial grove?
- Find out if the deceased had a White Archive at Fonus specifying her/his funeral wishes
- Find out if the deceased had a Lifearchive with the Swedish Association of Authorised Funeral Homes (Auktoriserade begravningsbyråer) specifying her/his funeral wishes
- Find out if the deceased had planned her/his funeral with a Fenix funeral home
- Find out if there is any funeral insurance
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Make funeral preparations
- Book transport if the funeral is to take place in another town or city
- Draft and order the publication of the obituary
- Choose and book an officiant or priest
- Select a shroud
- Select music for the funeral ceremony
- Select decorations for the funeral ceremony
- Choose and book a venue for a funeral in a church, chapel or other location
- Book an organist or musician for the funeral ceremony
- Invite guests to the funeral and memorial service
- Order food and drink for the memorial service
- Order flowers for the funeral ceremony
- Save receipts for funeral expenses, as documentation for the estate inventory
- If the ashes are to be scattered outside a memorial grove, apply to the County Administrative Board for permission
- Arrange for a burial plot
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Inform people about the funeral
- Relatives
- Next of kin
- Friends and acquaintances
- Employers, colleagues, neighbours
- Association members
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After the funeral
- Send thank you cards to those who attended the funeral or sent flowers
- Order a headstone
- The estate pays for the funeral.
- Therefore, collect receipts for expenses relating to the funeral
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Terminate and cancel
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Contracts and subscriptions
- Cancel phone subscriptions
- Terminate or transfer contracts for electricity, refuse collection, internet, TV
- Terminate or transfer home insurance and other insurance policies
- Terminate or transfer any leases
- If the deceased had a right of burial, transfer it to a living person
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Social media accounts (a selection)
- Blogs and personal pages on the internet
- Snapchat
- X
- Other social media
- Youtube
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Memberships
- Associations
- Membership in organisations
- Book clubs
- Bonus memberships
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Loans and bank accounts
- Contact the bank to settle or overwrite mortgages
- Contact the bank to close the estate's bank accounts
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Proof of ownership and land registrations
- If the deceased had property, change the name on the land registration to another person when you got the estate inventory back from the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). Apply for a land registration from the Swedish Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authority (Lantmäteriet).
- Change the certificate of ownership of the deceased's vehicle with the Swedish Transport Administration (Transportstyrelsen)
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Music and movie streaming services
- Disney+
- HBO Max
- Netflix
- Prime video
- SF Anytime
- Spotify
- TV4 Play
- Viaplay
- Youtube
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Home and household
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Residence
- Take care of pets
- If the deceased lived alone lower the heat in the residence
- If the deceased lived alone, empty the refrigerator, garbage and mailbox
- Collect spare keys
- If the deceased lived alone prevent burglary by attaching timers to light fixtures (for example)
- Clean and empty out the deceased’s residence
- If additional people reside at the deceased's address contact the landlord to sign a new lease
- If additional people reside at the deceased's address contact insurance companies to terminate or transfer home insurance
- Contact a broker to sell the deceased's property prior to the distribution of the estate
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Save and sort papers and mail
- Open the mail that comes to the estate
- Collect the estate’s bills, contracts and account statements in a folder or binder
- Block direct mail advertising that arrives in response to the death
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Care and aids
- Collect the deceased's belongings from the hospital
- Return aids and alarms
- Submit any leftover medications to a pharmacy
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Other things to do
- Move any improperly parked cars
- Shred the deceased's ID card, passport and driver's licence
- Collect laundry from the laundromat or dry cleaner’s and pick up things that had been dropped off for repair
- See to any boats, holiday homes, allotments
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