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People always say you can never prepare yourself for the death of someone you love, and that's true. Even when you know a death is coming, it almost always seems to happen too soon. But the experience of losing someone close to you can be compounded if you also are left with the many practical decisions and arrangements that have to be made following the death.

Who do you need to call?

• If the death is unexpected, call 911 or local emergency services. If the death is expected, you can call the person's doctor who can certify the death.



• When someone dies, you will want to notify family and friends. In some cases, you will also need to contact the appropriate religious leader or advisor and, if necessary, the person's employer.



• Call a funeral home. The funeral director will arrange for the transfer of the deceased to the funeral home, will help you make funeral arrangements and plan the service. He or she will also help write any announcements or obituaries for publication. Funeral service in Canada is regulated by provincial licensing boards.



• You may need several official copies of the Statement of Death (proof of death) to settle the estate, apply for death and survivor benefits and obtain compassionate travel refunds. This may be obtained from the funeral director. Depending on where you live, you may also need to obtain an official death certificate from the vital statistics office in your province or territory.



• If a person dies outside of Canada, you must contact the Canadian Consulate Office to find out what steps to take.

Is there a will?

• If there is a will, make sure that it is an original document (not a copy), that it is the most recent will and that there are no other changes to the will written in a separate document. In most cases the lawyer of the deceased will be able to advise you. In the will, there will be an executor named whose job it is to carry out the wishes of the person who died.



• The executor will likely be the one to file the deceased's final income tax return, apply for some benefits, such as the Canada Pension Plan and cancel others. He or she will inform financial institutions of the death and contact the appropriate government offices regarding driver's licence, social insurance number, passports and so on.



• If the person dies without leaving a will (intestate), contact a lawyer to find out what to do next.

Other things to consider

• Depending on the circumstances and/or the wishes of the deceased, you may wish to consider organ donation. Health Canada has created a web resource that lists contact information for organ transplant programs across Canada.



• In many jurisdictions, the health card of the deceased must be returned to the appropriate provincial or terrritorial Ministry of Health, with a copy of the death certificate and a change of information form.



• If the deceased is a veteran, you should get in touch with the Veterans Affairs District Office to find out about financial and other support.



• If someone from your family is travelling by air, train or bus due to a death of an immediate family member, he or she may be eligible for a compassionate travel discount or refund, usually within 90 days of the date of death. Contact the transportation service directly.