When someone you love dies, the world doesn't stop sending bills.

Closing Accounts is a free guide to closing the accounts of someone who has died — organized by when things need to happen, honest about what's hard, and written for the person sitting at the kitchen table with a stack of mail addressed to someone who is gone.

You are not behind. Most of this can wait. A few things need attention soon. The guide below tells you which is which. See what can wait →

When to do what

The right question isn't "what accounts do I need to close?" It's "what do I need to do right now, and what can wait?" This timeline answers that.

First 24–48 hours
A short list. Most things can wait. A few can't.
First week
Notifications, recurring charges, financial accounts.
First month
Formal closures, subscriptions, credit bureaus.
First year
Digital accounts, monitoring, what to keep and let go.

The accounts

Each account type has its own page: what documents you need, who to call, what to expect, and what emotional moments to be prepared for.

The human part