My husband died. What comes next?

I am so very sorry for your loss. You must be in shock. I have no advice on what comes next but I do hope you have some support nearby.

I'm so very sorry for your loss. What a shock to find him like that. My condolences.

First thing is to gather your support system - local friends and family who can help and support you. Delegate what you can to them. The next step is to begin funeral arrangements. If you all attend a church, call their office and they'll walk you through it. If you prefer a non-church funeral, the funeral home can help you set that up. They may also help with things like putting an obituary in the paper.

If he had life insurance or other insurance with you as the beneficiary, once you have a death certificate, you can start the process of filing with them.

There will be more, but those are the most immediate things I can think of.

Sending you my best wishes.

I am so very sorry. Hugs to you.

My DH died at home this past January. Ambulance and EMTs came and worked on him a bit and then transported him to the hospital. By 6:30 am I was home and by 7:30 the funeral home director called me. We are friends. My DH was an organ donor. Here in AR and most likely everywhere, I don't know, the organ donation transported the body to their facility and they harvested what they could. He was then delivered by the donor association to the funeral home. DH was cremated. My ODS and I went to the funeral home the next afternoon after he passed to plan the service. I do suggest you have someone go with you. I know it made it so much easier for me to make all the decisions.

After that, the business end kicks in. You need to start changing all utilities into your name. All banking. Check to see if any autopays need to be changed. Here when you change names on the water, since I was already on the account, it was just a transfer. But it was still treated like a new account. I had to set up autopay with my check to come out of my account. The gas and electric were easier. Those were just set up to come from my account on their websites.

At this time, you just need to take care of you. All that I mentioned above can wait. Rest if at all possible. People will most likely bring food. Try and eat. If you don't want to see anyone, then don't. Have someone else answer your phone and take messages.

Others may have some other advice I am not thinking of.

Again, I am so sorry.

I'm so, so sorry for your loss! I don't have any advice but I wanted you to know I am thinking of you and sending comforting hugs.

I am so sorry - hugs! First take a deep, as naby64 said you will be in for a lot but sit down and make a list and just check off the items as you go along.

I'm so very sorry - sending all the hugs

I am so very sorry and sending you love, hugs and light. As a widow I have been where you are and it is numbing in the beginning and you may feel like you are running on autopilot which was very true for me.

From Google -

When a spouse dies, the immediate priority is to notify authorities, obtain a death certificate, and make funeral arrangements. Afterward, focus on handling legal and financial matters, including notifying relevant institutions, settling debts and taxes, and managing the distribution of assets. Allow yourself time to grieve and seek emotional and practical support.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Immediate Actions:
Notify Authorities: Contact the appropriate authorities to register the death and obtain a death certificate. This is crucial for legal and financial processes. - For the death certificate take a look at one online since you need his name as it appears on exactly his birth certificate and you need his Mom and Dad's names and their city/state of birth.


Funeral Arrangements: Work with a funeral home to plan the funeral or memorial service. Notify Close Friends and Family: Inform close friends and family members of the death and ask for their support.

Legal and Financial Matters:
Locate and Review the Will: If a will exists, locate it and contact an estate attorney for guidance on the probate process.

Notify Financial Institutions: Inform banks, credit card companies, investment firms, and insurance companies of the death.

Contact Social Security: Notify the Social Security Administration about the death, as you may be eligible for survivor benefits.

Review Life Insurance Policies: File claims on any life insurance policies.

Update Property Titles: Update titles on jointly owned property (like a house or car) to reflect the surviving spouse as the sole owner.

Address Debts and Taxes: Understand and address any outstanding debts and taxes, potentially seeking guidance from a financial advisor or accountant.

Review and Update Documents: Update your will, power of attorney, and other important documents to reflect your new circumstances.


Be gentle to yourself as this is an unbearable time and most people unless they have endure losing a spouse do not understand how painful this is. Reach out to your Doctor before it is an emergency - my anxiety went into over drive and it took me too long to ask my Doctor for help. When you are ready find a good support group, my county offered wonderful group counseling with other widows/widowers.

I’m so very sorry for your loss. Sending love to you. ❤️

Just one suggestion, the funeral home will ask how many death certificates you want. I ordered 5 for my Mom - many of the insurance and financial institutes require a copy.

So sorry to hear of your loss. So glad you reached out to the Peas as they are a great resource and support.

What a shock; I'm so very sorry.

I am so very sorry for your loss. Sending you hugs.

I am so sorry for your loss.

So very sorry for the loss of your DH. Please take care of you now .. you need to call some to be there.