Foxglove · British Columbia

After a death: a family's first steps

Losing someone is hard enough without a pile of paperwork and no map. This is a calm, plain-language starting point for families in British Columbia — what matters now, what can wait, and where to turn next. It's free, and there's nothing to sign up for.

In the first days, very little is actually urgent

The pressure you feel is real, but most of it isn't a deadline. Care for anyone who depended on the person (including pets), secure the home, and let the rest wait until you've caught your breath.

The death gets formally pronounced — usually without you arranging it

In a hospital or care home, staff handle it. At home with hospice, call the number you were given. If a death at home was sudden, call 911. A medical certificate of death follows, which the funeral home uses to register the death.

Order several death certificates

You'll need them for banks, insurers, and the court. Order 6–10 copies — almost every step downstream depends on having one.

Find the will, and don't give anything away yet

Look for the most recent signed will (and remember BC's Wills Registry search). Until the estate is settled, belongings legally belong to the estate — early cleanouts are a common source of family conflict.

Understand the executor's role

The executor settles the estate: confirming authority (probate), paying debts and taxes, and distributing what remains. It's a sequence of steps over months, not one big event — and you don't have to know all of it today.

Keep going, at your own pace

Deeper guides, all free and in plain language:

Or get the complete BC executor's checklist by email: