I frequently give talks on estate planning. It occurred to me that perhaps there could be some that could benefit by a map as to what to do. After the death of a loved one, confirm that the funeral director has reported the death to the Social Security Administration. If necessary, call Social Security at 800-772-1213. The surviving spouse or legally appointed personal representative should also promptly notify one of the three national credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian or TransUnion—and request that the person’s credit file be marked deceased. The bureau receiving the notice should notify the other two, but the representative should verify that all three records have been updated.
Contact information
Social Security Administration
- Phone: 800-772-1213
- TTY: 800-325-0778
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
- Information: What to do when someone dies
The funeral director ordinarily reports the death. The family should confirm this and call Social Security if it was not done. www.ssa.gov
A deceased person’s credit is handled through a deceased notice, which effectively seals the credit file; it isn’t quite the ordinary online freeze process used by living consumers.
Experian — online option
- Secure document upload: Experian document upload
- Phone: 888-397-3742
- Mail:
Experian
P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013
Experian’s deceased-relative instructions specifically offer online uploading of the death certificate. Its upload page describes the service as supplying documentation for a request, so I would have the executor call first if the portal does not clearly offer “report a death.” www.experian.com
Equifax
- Phone: 888-378-4329
- Mail:
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 105139
Atlanta, GA 30348-5139 - Information: Equifax
TransUnion
- Phone: 800-916-8800
- Mail:
TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016 - Instructions: Reporting a death to TransUnion
TransUnion says it marks the file within five business days after receiving the letter and death certificate, then notifies the other two bureaus. TransUnion
The executor should have:
- A certified copy, not the original, of the death certificate
- Full legal name
- Social Security number
- Date of birth and date of death
- Last known address
- Executor’s name, address and identification
- Probate appointment or other proof of authority