What Happens When You Die?
Your family may need practical answers while they are grieving. Leave them a starting point: who to call, what you want, and where to find the details.
Included in your starting note when you create an account. No subscription.
Share urgent wishes before they are needed
DeathNote delivers according to your check-in schedule, so a note may arrive after immediate decisions. Share an accessible copy with someone you trust and discuss urgent wishes with your care team now.What Usually Happens First
This guide uses U.S. sources. The order, timing, and legal requirements depend on where and how a person dies.
1. Staff confirm the death
In a hospital or hospice setting, the care team explains the next steps and the certification process. At home, follow the hospice plan; for an unexpected emergency, contact local emergency services.
2. Family discuss immediate wishes
Contacts, donation records, personal belongings, and time to say goodbye may need attention. Ask staff what is urgent and what can wait.
3. Arrangements and paperwork begin
A funeral provider can help coordinate transfer. Death certificates and notifications to agencies and institutions follow; your family does not have to solve everything at once.
Sources: National Institute on Aging and Memorial Sloan Kettering.
Six Answers You Can Leave Today
These are planning prompts, not a universal hospital checklist. Write what you know; an undecided answer is a useful conversation starter.
Question 1
Which funeral home should be contacted?
Give your family a name and phone number, plus the location of any arrangements you have already made.
Ask the hospital or hospice team how transfer arrangements work locally. A preference helps your family start the conversation; it does not book a service.
In your starting note
[Funeral home, phone number, backup choice, and where any prepaid arrangement documents are kept]
Question 2
What are my organ and tissue donation wishes?
Record whether you have registered as a donor and where your family can find that record.
Donation staff check registration, consent, and medical suitability. Tell your family your wishes now. A note does not register you as a donor or guarantee donation.
In your starting note
[Donation wishes, registry or document location, and who knows about my decision]
Question 3
Who are my next of kin and trusted contacts?
List your closest contacts, their relationships to you, and where any formal appointment documents are kept.
Explain family circumstances that staff should know, including an unmarried partner or children from earlier relationships. Being named here does not grant legal authority; ask the care team who can make each decision under local rules.
In your starting note
[Primary contact and phone, relationship, backup contact, and location of relevant legal documents]
Question 4
Who should collect my belongings?
Make it clear who should collect personal items and which belongings deserve special care.
Ask staff about their inventory and collection process for jewelry, glasses, clothing, and other belongings. This is practical guidance, not a transfer of ownership or a substitute for a will.
In your starting note
[Person to collect my belongings, phone number, important items, and any preferences to discuss with staff]
Question 5
Who is my doctor?
Keep your regular doctor or care team's name, practice, and phone number easy to find.
Staff can explain who will certify the death. Depending on the circumstances and local rules, this may be a treating clinician, medical examiner, or coroner, rather than your regular doctor.
In your starting note
[Doctor or hospice team, practice name, and office phone number]
Question 6
Who would want time to say goodbye?
Name people to call and any spiritual, cultural, or personal wishes to discuss before transfer.
Your family can ask for time together and explain any important customs. Availability and timing depend on the circumstances and the facility; avoid promising a particular waiting period.
In your starting note
[People and phone numbers, spiritual contact, and any wishes for time together or rituals]
For donation registration and consent, see HRSA's donation process. Ask your care team about local authority, certification, and collection procedures.
Information Your Family May Need Later
Make a map to the records, so your family knows where to look.
- Identity records: legal name, birth details, and the secure location of identification documents.
- Certified death certificates: ask the funeral provider or local vital records office how to obtain copies.
- Estate documents: the location of an existing will or trust and contact details for the executor or attorney.
- Insurance and finances: institution names, policy document locations, and professional contacts.
- Daily responsibilities: people who depend on you, pet care, household contacts, and organizations to notify.
Agencies may request identifiers and certified records. Share these through their official channels; keep passwords, recovery codes, government ID numbers, and full account numbers out of your note. See USAGov's notification checklist.
This guide and your note organize information. They do not replace a will, medical directive, donor registration, or legal advice.
Give Them a Place to Start
Your free DeathNote starts with these six sections, space for important document locations, and a personal message. Add your answers, review them together, and keep them current.
Choose recipients and configure your delivery schedule separately. Creating an account does not notify your contacts.