Someone has passed away. Here is what to do, one step at a time.

Call the hospice nurse if the person was in hospice. For an unexpected death, call 911. After death is pronounced, contact a funeral home or cremation provider.

There is no single rule. A provider usually arranges transfer within hours, and the exact timing depends on circumstances and local rules. Ask the provider what is needed.

You need to arrange care of the person soon, but you can compare prices first. Providers must quote prices by phone.

The funeral home usually reports it. Ask them to confirm, and tell Social Security yourself if no provider is involved.

Many families order several, because banks, insurers and agencies may each want a certified copy. Ask your provider how many are included and what extras cost.

In the first 24 hours, the essential tasks are to have the death confirmed, let close family know, and arrange for your loved one's body to be cared for. Almost everything else can wait. Most families contact a funeral home or cremation provider within the first day so the person can be transported and cared for, but you do not have to decide on services or make final choices right away. Eat, rest, and ask one trusted person to help you keep a short call list. What to do: write down who must be told today, and move every other task onto a later list.

Who you call first depends on whether your loved one was in hospice care and whether the death was expected. If hospice is involved, call the hospice nurse line first rather than 911, because the nurse can confirm the death and guide the next steps. If there was no hospice and the death was unexpected, call 911. After the death is confirmed, call close family, then a funeral home or cremation provider. What to do: save the hospice number and the doctor's number in your phone now, so you are not searching for them at a hard moment.

Only a few things are time sensitive after a death, and most of the long list of tasks can wait days or weeks. The urgent items are having the death confirmed, arranging care for the person's body, and notifying close family. Soon after, you will need to confirm funeral or cremation arrangements and request death certificates. Closing accounts, estate matters, and notifying agencies can wait until after the service. Do not feel pressured to decide everything at once. What to do: sort tasks into three lists, today, this week, and later, and let a friend or relative help manage the later list.

If a loved one passes away suddenly at home, call 911 right away. Emergency responders, and often law enforcement, will come to the home, and a medical examiner or coroner may be notified when the cause of death is not clearly known. This is routine and can feel intrusive, but it is a standard part of the process. The person's body may be taken to the medical examiner's office before a funeral home can receive them, and timing varies by area. What to do: stay with a supportive person, ask the responders what will happen next, and wait to contact a funeral home until you are told where your loved one is being taken.

Start with the people closest to your loved one, then widen the circle as you feel able. Call immediate family and a few close friends personally, and consider asking each of them to pass the news along to a defined list so you are not making every call. Notify the employer, school, or religious community within the first few days. Banks, insurers, and agencies can wait. A short written script can help if speaking is hard. What to do: make a list of ten names, assign calls to willing relatives, and post a simple message for wider friends once family has been told.

When a hospice patient passes away, the hospice nurse usually comes to the home, confirms the death, and helps you contact the funeral home of your choice. Hospice teams generally know the local process well and often handle the call to the doctor or medical examiner when needed. Medications that were prescribed for comfort are typically disposed of with the nurse's guidance. The family can usually take time to say goodbye before the person is moved. What to ask: ask the hospice team what to expect, who to call at night, and whether a social worker or chaplain can help.