How many death certificates should I request from the funeral director?
Quick Answer
Order more than you think you need. Ten to twelve certified copies is reasonable for an estate with several accounts, and fifteen is not excessive if there is real property, multiple institutions, or a business interest. Most organisations keep the original they are given and will not return it, and reordering later is slower than ordering up front.
Why this small decision causes real delay
Out of curiosity, how many do you think a straightforward estate actually uses?
Families routinely order three, because three sounds like plenty. Then the bank keeps one. The life insurer keeps one. Social Security wants one. The pension. The brokerage. The car title. The county for the deed. Suddenly you are two weeks into probate waiting on a reorder, and everything behind it has stopped.
Certified copies are inexpensive relative to what your time is worth, and the funeral director can order them in one go while they are already handling the paperwork.
Who is going to want one
Each bank or credit union where an account was held. Every life insurance company. The Social Security Administration. Any pension or annuity provider. Brokerage and retirement account custodians. The Department of Driver Services for vehicle titles. The county for real property transfers. The probate court. Any employer with survivor benefits. The Veterans Administration, where service is involved.
Add one for your own file, because you will want it.
Certified copies, not photocopies
This trips people up. A certified copy carries a raised seal or an official stamp from the issuing authority. A photocopy of a certified copy is not certified, no matter how clear it is.
Most institutions will not act on an uncertified copy. A few will accept one for preliminary notification but still require the certified version before they release funds.
Ordering more later
You can, through Georgia Vital Records or the county health department where the death occurred, and it takes longer and costs more per copy than adding them to the funeral director’s original order.
The funeral director is doing this anyway. Adding to that order is the cheapest moment you will ever have.
While you are at it
Ask the funeral director whether they will notify Social Security, and confirm it was actually done rather than assuming. Benefits paid for the month after death generally have to be returned, and it is far easier to prevent that than to unwind it.
Your next step
If you are working through what has to happen after a death, schedule a complimentary 15-minute Strategy Session with our Decatur office at 404-549-5001. Getting the sequence right early saves months later.
More on how we help families through this is on our Probate & Estate Administration page.
Related questions
- What are the first steps to take after the death of a loved one?
- After the death of a loved one, is there anything I need to do before meeting with the funeral director?
- Should I notify the bank or close the decedent’s bank accounts?
- Is probate and/or estate administration necessary for my loved one’s estate?
This page is presented for educational purposes only and nothing on it should be treated as legal advice. What applies to you is very fact specific to your situation and your family. Our attorneys are licensed in Georgia and Michigan. This area of law has frequent statutory and policy changes.
Looking to find an experienced estate lawyer in the Georgia area who is skilled in asset protection and estate plan preparation? Shannon Pawley is an attorney in Georgia with expertise in estate planning and asset protection. Shannon can provide assistance with creating an estate plan to include making a will and how to establish a trust properly. If you have questions about asset protection or questions about making an estate plan, reach out to Shannon and she will be glad to help answer all the estate planning questions you might have!
