Losing someone you love is hard enough without facing a confusing list of legal and administrative tasks at the same time. At Ambassador Law Corporation, we work with families across BC who find themselves navigating estate matters during one of the most difficult periods of their lives. Knowing what to do immediately after a death in the family, and in what order, can make a real difference in how manageable the weeks ahead feel.
The First 48 Hours: Practical Priorities
Before any legal steps can happen, a few immediate tasks need to come first.
- Obtain the Medical Certificate of Death: A doctor, hospital, or coroner issues this document. Your funeral home will typically assist with this as part of their service, and they’ll also handle the formal death registration with BC Vital Statistics.
- Contact a funeral home: This is usually the first call families make, and for good reason. The funeral director takes on significant administrative responsibility, including initiating death registration.
- Secure the home and belongings: If the deceased lived alone, make sure the property is locked and that nothing is removed or distributed yet. This protects the estate.
- Arrange care for any dependents: If there are children, pets, or others who relied on the deceased, these arrangements need to happen right away.
Registering the Death and Getting Death Certificates
The funeral director typically files the death registration with the BC Vital Statistics Agency on your behalf. Once registered, you can order certified death certificates directly through Vital Statistics.
Order more than you think you’ll need. Banks, insurance companies, pension administrators, the Canada Revenue Agency, and various other institutions each require their own original copy. Running short and waiting for additional copies causes unnecessary delays in settling the estate. Processing through BC Vital Statistics generally takes a few weeks, so order early.
Locating the Will and Key Documents
Once immediate arrangements are in place, your next priority is locating the will and understanding what documents exist.
Where to look for the will:
- The BC Wills Registry, maintained by BC Vital Statistics
- The deceased’s lawyer’s office
- A home safe or filing cabinet
- A safe deposit box at their bank
Beyond the will, gather bank and investment account statements, insurance policies, property documents, government ID and Social Insurance Number, any CRA correspondence, and digital account information and passwords. You need a clear picture of what assets exist before estate administration can move forward.
Learn all about the differences between notarial wills and standard wills.
Understanding Your Role as Executor
If you’ve been named executor in the will, you’re responsible for carrying out the wishes of the deceased and managing the estate through to distribution. That includes inventorying assets, paying outstanding debts, filing the final tax returns, and distributing what’s left to beneficiaries.
Being an executor doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself. Many executors work with a lawyer, particularly when the estate is complex.
When Probate is Involved
Not every estate in BC requires probate, but many do, particularly when real property is involved or when financial institutions require court-issued authority before releasing assets. Probate is the court process that formally confirms the will and grants the executor legal authority to act. We help executors in BC navigate this process.
If there is no will, the estate is considered “intestate,” and the distribution of assets follows BC’s Wills, Estates and Succession Act rather than any individual wishes. These situations often benefit from legal guidance early.
Learn more about the probate process in BC.
Notifications in the First Few Weeks
Once death certificates are in hand, work through the following notifications:
- CRA: Report the death and arrange to file the deceased’s final tax return.
- Banks and credit unions: Notify them and begin the process of consolidating or closing accounts as directed by the estate.
- CPP and OAS: Cancel payments through Service Canada to avoid overpayment issues.
- MSP and BC Services Card: Cancel coverage through Health Insurance BC.
- Insurance companies: Notify life insurers and begin the claims process; keep home and property insurance active until the estate is settled.
- Pension administrators: If the deceased received a pension, notify them promptly.
- Landlord or mortgage lender: Notify them of the death and clarify obligations going forward.
What Not to Do
A few common mistakes are worth naming directly:
- Don’t distribute assets before probate is complete. Even if you know what someone wanted, distributing assets prematurely can create legal complications.
- Don’t cancel home or property insurance. Keep it active until the property is officially transferred or sold.
- Don’t order just one death certificate. This is one of the most common and easily avoided delays families face.
- Don’t sign anything on behalf of the estate without understanding your authority. If you’re unsure, ask.
We’re Here When You Need Legal Support
The practical steps above are manageable, but the legal side of estate administration can get complicated quickly. If you’ve been named executor, can’t locate a will, or need guidance on whether probate applies to your situation, we’re ready to help. At Ambassador Law Corporation, we work through estate and probate matters with our clients in plain terms, step by step. Reach out to us at 604-859-4825 to talk through where you are and what comes next.