Just Became an Executor? What to Do in the First Few Weeks

If someone has just died and their affairs are suddenly yours to sort out, take a breath. Almost nothing has to happen today. This is a marathon walked one step at a time, and the first steps are simpler than they feel.

First, the things that genuinely come first

Get proof of death. The funeral home issues a statement of death, which is sufficient in most situations to notify the federal government, and you can order the formal death certificate from your province or territory. Several certified copies save weeks of waiting later, because many organisations insist on seeing one.

Notify the Canada Revenue Agency as soon as you reasonably can, and make sure CPP and OAS payments are cancelled promptly so nothing has to be repaid. There is also a one-time CPP death benefit to apply for through Service Canada, currently up to $5,000 depending on the circumstances, and the executor is first in line to apply. If the person lived in Quebec, it is Retraite Québec's death benefit instead.

Then, build your picture before you act

Before paying anyone or distributing anything, work out what exists: bank accounts, registered accounts, insurance policies, property, debts. In most provinces, life insurance and registered accounts with named beneficiaries are paid directly to those people, outside the estate, so contact each provider directly.

This is the stage where families discover how scattered a life's paperwork really is. If the person left an organised record, the whole job changes character. If not, expect detective work, and keep notes as you go.

Notifying, protecting, and keeping records

Contact the banks. Notify the two credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion, so the identity is protected. Return the passport. Keep every receipt and record every expense, because an executor accounts for what came in and went out. A final tax return will be due: generally April 30 of the following year, or six months after the date of death for deaths late in the year.

You do not have to do it alone

Whether the estate needs probate depends on what was owned, how it was titled, and your province's rules; some institutions release smaller amounts without it, and some provinces have simplified small-estate processes. A lawyer or notary can carry the legal corner while you handle the practical one, and for many families that split is worth every cent.

A free roadmap to follow

The free Executor Toolkit below gives you a Day 1 to Month 12 roadmap, notification letters you can adapt, and an expense tracker, so you always know what comes next.

Common questions in the first two weeks

Do CPP and OAS payments stop on their own?

Do not assume. The statement of death usually starts the process, but confirm the cancellations, because payments made for months after the death generally have to be repaid.

What if there is no will?

Someone, usually a close relative, applies to be appointed to administer the estate, and provincial intestacy rules decide who inherits. See our guide to dying without a will.

Related guides

• What Does an Executor Actually Do?
• What Is Probate?

Get the Free Executor Toolkit

A complete Day 1 to Month 12 roadmap. The common mistakes that catch families out. Notification letters and an expense tracker. Free and instant.

Educational content only. This is general information, not legal, financial or tax advice. Estate laws vary from province to province. Please speak to a qualified lawyer, notary or adviser about your situation.