Articles & Insights
What to Do in the First Week After a Death in Texas
Email, banking access, phone service, subscription records, and online statements often matter far sooner than families expect.
Five Early Priorities
- Secure the home, key records, devices, mail, and any immediately important personal property.
- Locate the will, trust materials, beneficiary information, insurance paperwork, and any funeral or burial instructions.
- Order multiple certified death certificates because many institutions will require them.
- Make a basic list of assets, debts, real estate, vehicles, and important accounts without rushing to move property prematurely.
- Pause before making promises, distributions, or major transfers until you understand who has authority to act.
What You May Overlook
Digital access and account records
Email, banking access, phone service, subscription records, and online statements often matter far sooner than families expect.
Real estate and insurance issues
Homes, vehicles, vacant property, and business locations may need immediate practical attention even before the probate picture is clear.
Who is “in charge”
Families often assume the closest relative automatically has authority. In reality, the legal answer depends on the documents and the probate posture.
Questions That Come Up Immediately
Should the family close accounts right away?
Usually the better first move is to gather information and understand the authority question before making significant financial moves.
What if no one can find the will?
That does not end the inquiry. It changes the analysis. A lawyer can help the family understand what other procedures or evidence may matter.
When should probate counsel be contacted?
Early guidance is often most helpful when there is uncertainty about authority, real estate, business assets, or possible conflict among relatives.
Most mistakes in the first week are not malicious. They happen because grieving families move too quickly without understanding what authority exists. Slow, organized first steps usually help.
If the First Week Already Feels Messy, Clarity Can Still Be Restored
The firm can help identify what matters now, what can wait, and whether probate or another process should begin.
References & Sources
- Social Security Administration, “What To Do When Someone Dies.” www.ssa.gov
- Tex. Est. Code § 256.003 (a will generally must be admitted to probate within four years of death). statutes.capitol.texas.gov
- Tex. Est. Code §§ 401.001–401.003 (independent administration). statutes.capitol.texas.gov
- Texas Law Help, “Wills, Estate Planning and Probate.” texaslawhelp.org
- Bexar County Probate Courts. www.bexar.org
Attorney Advertising. This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Texas estate and probate law is fact-specific; prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Communications about a lawyer’s services are governed by the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, Part VII.