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Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. SHARE: Mariia Korneeva / Shutterstock.com April 08, 2020 Kendall Little is a personal finance writer who previously covered credit card news and advice at Bankrate. Kendall currently is a . She is originally from metro Atlanta and holds bachelor’s degrees from the University of Georgia in both journalism and film studies. Before joining Bankrate in August 2018, Kendall worked in digital communications throughout various industries, including education, health care and television. Bankrate logo

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How to notify credit bureaus of death

A person’s credit report is not automatically closed after someone passes away. Instead, credit bureaus wait for notification from the executor of the deceased’s estate or the Social Security Administration. Follow these steps to protect your loved one’s information and notify creditors of their passing.

Request a credit freeze

You’ll need to contact each of the three credit bureaus to request a credit freeze. You can call to request the freeze, then follow up by mail to request the credit report be flagged “Deceased. Do not issue credit.” When you write your request, you will need to include the full legal name of the deceased person, their date of birth and their date of death. You will also need to include their most recent address and social security number. Lastly, you’ll need to include your name and mailing address. Bureau Address Phone TransUnion P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016 888-909-8872 Experian P.O. Box 4500
Allen, TX 75013 888-397-3742 Equifax P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 800-685-1111

Request a return receipt for your records

When you mail off your request, you should do so via mail and request a return receipt.This will add a level of security to your letter and provide you notification of when the request has been received. Be sure to keep a copy of your request, just in case. And keep track of the date you sent the request, as well as the date of the reply. This information will be helpful in the event you have to send a follow-up request.

Make sure the account has been flagged

When the credit bureau receives your request letter, they will flag the deceased’s report as belonging to someone who has passed away. It’s important that the credit bureaus flag the file of the person who has passed away to protect their information from being compromised. It is a common tactic of identity thieves to steal information from people who have passed away to create new accounts.

Request a copy of the credit report

Having a copy of the deceased’s most recent credit report on file will give you an accurate picture of the status of all of their accounts. If there are any outstanding accounts that need to be resolved, they will be reported here. You can also check to make sure the account has been flagged. In order to request a copy of the credit report, you will need a copy of a government issued ID, such as a driver’s license. Request a copy from all three bureaus to make sure you have complete information, since not all lenders and creditors report to all three bureaus.

Documentation to have on hand

When you make the request for a credit freeze on behalf of the deceased, you will need to send copies of certain important documents. These documents will serve to verify your relationship to the deceased and your authority to request the freeze. These documents include: Copy of the will Copy of the executor agreement Copy of identification for the requestor A certified copy of the death certificate (one with a raised stamp)

Other steps to consider

Closing up financial loose ends after a loved one passes away takes time. Handling their credit report is important, but it is only one step. You’ll need to contact their creditors to cancel their accounts and and make sure that mortgages and loans have been settled. You’ll probably also need to take care of your loved one’s for one final financial year deal with their . It can seem overwhelming, but take it one step at a time. Handling these details calmly and carefully will ensure that your loved one’s accounts will be settled and will remain safe from any attempted compromise. SHARE: Kendall Little is a personal finance writer who previously covered credit card news and advice at Bankrate. Kendall currently is a . She is originally from metro Atlanta and holds bachelor’s degrees from the University of Georgia in both journalism and film studies. Before joining Bankrate in August 2018, Kendall worked in digital communications throughout various industries, including education, health care and television.

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