Practical checklists, letter templates, and step-by-step guidance to help you manage the details during a difficult time.
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Professional mobile notary services available in the Austin, TX area
Book a Notary AppointmentIf you're reading this, we're so sorry for your loss. These are the questions we hear most.
If the death has just occurred, contact the appropriate authority — 911 if it was unexpected, or hospice/the attending physician if expected. They will pronounce the death. Do not move the body. After pronouncement, contact a funeral home or cremation provider. The funeral home will help you order certified copies of the death certificate, which you'll need for nearly everything else.
Order at least 10 certified copies. Each agency, financial institution, and insurance company typically requires their own original certified copy with the raised seal. Most copies cost $5–$25 each from the funeral home or county vital records office.
Social Security (SSA), all banks and credit unions, life insurance companies, employer (or former employer for retirement), pension administrators, IRS, state tax agencies, mortgage holder, all utility providers, all subscription services, voter registration, the DMV, and the post office (USPS will forward mail). The Tier 1 Guide includes the full ordered list with phone numbers.
Probate is required when the deceased had assets in their name alone (no joint owner, no beneficiary). Small estates (under a state-specific threshold) may qualify for simplified procedures. Speak with a probate attorney before transferring or selling any major asset. The Tier 2 Complete Guide includes a probate decision tree.
Usually yes. If you're the named beneficiary on a life insurance policy, you contact the insurer, complete their claim form, and provide a certified death certificate. The Tier 2 Guide includes the exact paperwork checklist by major insurer (NY Life, Northwestern Mutual, MetLife, etc.) plus IRA and 401(k) claim procedures.
Often yes — especially for affidavits of heirship, real estate transfers, beneficiary update forms (when designations need to be retroactively addressed), and certain insurance claim documents. April provides mobile notary services for these documents in Austin and Central Texas. Call 512-589-4053.
All sales are final on digital downloads. We understand this is a difficult time — please call 512-589-4053 with any pre-purchase questions, and we'll gladly walk you through what's included.