What to do when someone dies in Illinois: the first 14 days

When someone dies in Illinois, the first 14 days involve a specific sequence of administrative and legal steps — and Illinois has its own procedures for several of them. Certified death certificates are issued through the county, not a single statewide office. Small estates may qualify for a simplified affidavit instead of full probate. And probate itself, when it's needed, runs through the Circuit Court of a specific county rather than a single state court system.

This guide walks through what to do, day by day, with the Illinois-specific detail layered in. For the general, state-neutral version of these first steps — what to do in the first hour, who to call, what can wait — see what to do when someone dies: the first 48 hours. This guide picks up from there and focuses on what's different in Illinois.

The first 24 hours

Get a legal pronouncement of death

Before anything else can happen, a medical professional needs to pronounce the death. Who to call depends on where the death occurred:

• At home with hospice: call the hospice nurse, who can pronounce the death and coordinate with the physician.
• At home without hospice: call 911 or the family doctor.
• In a hospital or care facility: staff will handle the pronouncement and guide you through next steps.
• Unexpected or unattended death: call 911. A county coroner or medical examiner may need to be involved, which can add a day or two before the body can be released to a funeral home.

Contact a funeral home

A funeral home should be contacted within 24 hours in most cases, since they handle the legal transfer and care of the body. Calling does not commit you to anything — Illinois funeral homes, like those everywhere, are required under the FTC Funeral Rule to give you itemized pricing over the phone.

Notify immediate family — and understand who has authority

Reach out to the people closest to the person who died, and designate one trusted person to help coordinate calls so the load doesn't fall on one person alone.

If your loved one made medical decisions in their final days with help from a healthcare surrogate under the Illinois Healthcare Surrogate Act (755 ILCS 40/), it's worth knowing that surrogate's authority ends at the moment of death. From this point forward, decisions about the body and its disposition pass to whoever holds priority under Illinois' separate Disposition of Remains Act (755 ILCS 65/) — typically a person named in writing, then a spouse or civil union partner, then adult children, then parents and siblings. If the family is not in full agreement about arrangements, this is the hierarchy the funeral home and, if necessary, the courts will look to.

Days 2–3: certified copies of the Illinois death certificate

This is one of the areas where Illinois works a little differently than some other states.

Where Illinois death certificates come from

Illinois death certificates are filed at the county level. In most counties, certified copies are issued through the county clerk's vital records division; in Cook County, this is handled through the Cook County Clerk's Vital Records office. Because the process is administered county by county rather than through one statewide office, it's worth confirming directly with the clerk in the county where the death occurred — procedures, fees, and turnaround times can vary from one county to the next. Many funeral homes will file the initial paperwork on the family's behalf and can help you order copies at the same time.

How many copies to order

Order 10 to 15 certified copies. Each one costs less when ordered in bulk with the original filing than requesting additional copies later. You'll need certified copies for:

• Banks and credit unions
• Life insurance companies
• The Social Security Administration
• Retirement and pension administrators
• Vehicle title transfers with the Illinois Secretary of State
• Real estate transfers, if applicable
• The probate court, if the estate requires probate

If you run out later, you can go back to the same county office for more — but it's easier to order enough the first time.

For a full walkthrough of the request process and what information you'll need to provide, see how to get a death certificate: a step-by-step guide.

Days 4–7: notifications

With certified copies in hand, this is the window to start working through the institutions and agencies that need to be told.

Social Security Administration

Contact the Social Security Administration (1-800-772-1213) as soon as you can. Benefits are paid a month behind, so a payment received for the month of death or later typically needs to be returned. If a spouse or dependents may be eligible for survivor benefits, this is also when that conversation starts. See how to notify Social Security of a death for the full process.

Employer

If the person who died was employed, contact their employer to report the death, ask about final pay, unused paid time off, any life insurance policy through work, and continuation of health coverage for dependents. See how to notify an employer of an employee's death for the questions worth asking.

Banks, insurance, and other accounts

• Notify each bank and credit union where the person held accounts.
• Contact any life insurance companies to start a claim.
• Locate retirement and investment accounts and notify the administrators.
• Check for automatic bill payments or subscriptions that need to be paused.
• If the person was a veteran, contact the Department of Veterans Affairs about benefits.

Days 8–14: starting probate, if it's needed

Not every estate needs to go through probate. Illinois offers a simplified path for smaller estates, and it's worth checking whether that applies before assuming a full probate case is necessary.

The Illinois small estate affidavit

If the total value of the deceased person's personal property — not counting real estate — is $100,000 or less, an heir or successor may be able to use a small estate affidavit to collect and transfer that property without opening a formal probate case. This is a meaningful threshold in Illinois, higher than in many other states, so it's worth confirming with the bank, insurer, or institution involved whether they'll accept an affidavit before filing anything with the court.

One caveat worth flagging clearly: this affidavit route generally applies to personal property only. Real estate titled solely in the deceased person's name typically still requires probate, regardless of how small the estate otherwise is, unless it passes another way — through a trust, joint tenancy, or a transfer-on-death deed. If you're not sure whether the estate qualifies, or whether a piece of property counts as personal property or real estate for this purpose, it's worth a short call to the county clerk's office or a local probate attorney before you proceed.

If probate is required

If the estate doesn't qualify for the small estate affidavit — or includes real estate that needs to pass through the estate — probate is filed with the Circuit Court in the county where the deceased person lived at the time of death. In Cook County, that means the Cook County Circuit Court's Probate Division; in other counties, it's that county's Circuit Court. Filing requirements and local procedures can differ somewhat from county to county, so confirming the specific county's process is worth the extra call.

Illinois also allows "independent administration," a lighter-touch version of probate available when heirs and beneficiaries are in agreement, which can reduce both the time and cost of closing an estate. For a broader sense of how long this process typically takes, see how long does probate take?

For the fuller Illinois-specific picture — how wills are validated, what happens without a will, advance directives, and power of attorney — see Illinois end-of-life planning guide.

The first 14 days: a checklist

First 24 hours

• [ ] Get a legal pronouncement of death
• [ ] Contact a funeral home
• [ ] Notify immediate family and designate one point of contact
• [ ] Identify who holds priority for disposition decisions if the family isn't in full agreement

Days 2–3

• [ ] Confirm which county's clerk (or, in Cook County, the Cook County Clerk's Vital Records office) will issue the death certificate
• [ ] Gather the information needed for the certificate: full legal name, date and place of birth, Social Security number, parents' names
• [ ] Order 10 to 15 certified copies of the death certificate

Days 4–7

• [ ] Notify the Social Security Administration
• [ ] Notify the employer, if applicable, and ask about final pay and benefits
• [ ] Notify banks and credit unions
• [ ] Notify life insurance companies and begin any claims
• [ ] Locate retirement and investment accounts and notify administrators
• [ ] Pause or redirect automatic bill payments

Days 8–14

• [ ] Total the personal property value to check against the $100,000 small estate affidavit threshold
• [ ] Confirm with relevant institutions whether they'll accept a small estate affidavit
• [ ] If real estate is involved or the estate doesn't qualify, prepare to file probate with the Circuit Court of the county of residence
• [ ] Consider whether independent administration is available, if all heirs are in agreement
• [ ] Consult a local probate attorney if anything about the estate's size or property is unclear

Frequently asked questions

Which office issues certified death certificates in Illinois?

Certified copies are issued at the county level — through the county clerk's vital records division in most counties, or through the Cook County Clerk's Vital Records office if the death occurred in Cook County. Because this is handled county by county rather than through a single state office, confirm the exact process and fees with the specific county clerk involved.

How many death certificates should I order?

Order 10 to 15 certified copies. You'll need them for banks, insurance companies, the Social Security Administration, retirement account administrators, vehicle title transfers, and probate if it applies. It's generally cheaper to order extra copies at the time of filing than to request more later.

Does every estate in Illinois have to go through probate?

No. If the deceased person's personal property totals $100,000 or less, a small estate affidavit may allow an heir or successor to collect and transfer that property without opening a formal probate case. Real estate titled solely in the deceased person's name generally still requires probate regardless of the estate's overall size, unless it passes another way. Confirm with a local attorney or the county clerk if you're unsure whether an estate qualifies.

Does it matter which Illinois county the person lived in?

Yes. Probate is filed with the Circuit Court in the county where the deceased person was domiciled at the time of death — Cook County has its own Circuit Court Probate Division, and every other Illinois county has its own Circuit Court as well. Local procedures, forms, and filing details can vary somewhat between counties, so it's worth confirming directly with the county involved.

What happens to healthcare decision-making authority after death?

If a healthcare surrogate was making medical decisions under the Illinois Healthcare Surrogate Act before the death, that authority ends once the person dies. From that point, decisions about the body and its disposition follow the priority list in Illinois' separate Disposition of Remains Act — typically a written designee first, then a spouse, adult children, parents, and siblings.

What if family members disagree about arrangements or the estate?

Illinois law establishes a hierarchy for who has authority in these situations — for disposition decisions, the Disposition of Remains Act priority list; for the estate, whoever is named executor in the will or, if there's no will, whoever the court appoints as administrator. Try to reach agreement where possible, but if a dispute continues, the person with legal priority generally has the final say, and a local attorney can help clarify next steps.

This article provides general information and is not legal or medical advice. Illinois procedures, thresholds, and fees are subject to change and can vary by county — confirm current requirements with the relevant county clerk's office or a local probate attorney.

Disclaimer — For informational purposes only

This article is compiled from publicly available resources and is provided solely for general informational purposes. It does not constitute and should not be relied upon as legal, financial, tax, insurance, medical, psychological, or other professional advice. Passings is a planning and organizational platform, not a licensed advisory service, and no attorney-client, financial advisor-client, or other professional relationship is created by reading this content.

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