What happens after a funeral
Most families focus on arranging the funeral first. Dealing with the person's estate often comes later — sometimes weeks or months afterwards. Many people don't realise this at the time, and that's completely normal.
This page explains what usually happens next, in plain English, so you know what to expect when you're ready.
Most families find things happen in roughly this order:
You may already be partway through this. There's no right or wrong pace.
In simple terms, this usually involves:
For some families this is straightforward. For others, it can feel unclear or hard to move forward — especially if property or multiple accounts are involved.
This often comes up when:
These moments are very common, and they don't mean you've missed anything.
You don't need to do this now. When families do start dealing with the estate, they usually begin by gathering:
It's very common not to have all of this straight away. Most people build it up gradually.
Families tend to take one of three approaches:
Many people move between these options over time.
If it helps, you can take a short check to see what usually applies in your situation. It takes about a minute, and you don't need any paperwork.
You can come back to this page at any time.
In partnership with the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD).