In the first 30 days after a parent’s death in Florida, order certified death certificates, secure the home and car, find the original will and file it with the clerk within 10 days, confirm Social Security was notified, and leave the bank accounts alone until you know whether probate is needed.
Losing a mom or dad is hard enough. Then, usually within a day or two, the questions start. Who calls the bank? Where is the will? Is it okay to pay the electric bill? Can your brother take Dad’s truck home?
Attorney Michael T. Heider hears these questions all the time in his Clearwater office, often from adult children who are also juggling work, kids, and grief. The first month has a fairly predictable order to it. You don’t have to solve everything at once. You just need to do the right things in the right order and avoid a few mistakes that make an estate harder to settle later.
Here is the checklist Michael walks families through.
What should you do in the first 48 hours?
- Give the funeral home your parent’s Social Security number. In most cases, they report the death for you.
- Lock the house, collect spare keys, and keep the car somewhere safe.
- Take care of pets and perishable food, and make sure someone is checking the mail.
- Keep paying essentials like the mortgage, insurance, and utilities so the property stays protected.
- Start a simple list of every account, bill, and policy you know about.
Important: Do not use your parent’s debit card or online banking to move money or pay bills, even if you know the PIN. Using estate money before anyone has court authority can create personal liability and family conflict.
Your first 30 days: What To Do When A Parent Dies In Florida
Here is how Michael usually suggests pacing the first month when families ask what to do when a parent dies in Florida.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Give the funeral home the Social Security number. Lock up the home and car. |
| Days 3 to 7 | Order death certificates. Look for the original will. |
| By day 10 | File the original will with the clerk. |
| Weeks 2 to 3 | Gather statements, deeds, policies, and mail. |
| Weeks 3 to 4 | Talk to a probate attorney. |
How many death certificates do you need?
Most families need between 5 and 10 certified copies. Banks, life insurance companies, brokerage firms, pension plans, and the county property records office may each want one, and many won’t send it back.
Did You Know? Florida issues two versions of a death certificate. Anyone 18 or older can order the version without the cause of death. The version with the cause of death is confidential and limited to close family, such as a spouse, parent, or adult child, grandchild, or sibling. For probate, property records, taxes, and vehicle titles, the version without cause of death is usually enough.
You can order copies through the funeral home or the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics. Fees vary by county, so check with your local health department first.
Where is the original will, and what do you do with it?
Check the home safe, filing cabinets, any safe deposit box, and the office of the attorney who prepared it. Many people keep copies at home and leave the original with their lawyer.
Under section 732.901 of the Florida Statutes, whoever has the original will must deposit it with the clerk of court in the county where your parent lived within 10 days of learning of the death. For a Clearwater, Largo, or Dunedin resident, that is the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
If there is no will, the estate passes under Florida’s intestacy rules, which decide who inherits based on family relationship.
Who has to tell Social Security and the banks?
The Social Security Administration says funeral homes generally report deaths, so you usually don’t have to. If your parent received benefits, it is still worth a phone call to confirm.
Social Security does not pay benefits for the month of death. If your parent died in July, the payment that arrives in August has to go back. USA.gov explains that for direct deposits, you should ask the bank to return it.
Quick Tip: Before you contact any bank, list every account with the bank name, the last four digits, and whether it names a payable on death beneficiary. Accounts with a named beneficiary often pass outside probate, which can change the whole plan.
Are you responsible for your parent’s bills?
In most cases, no. Adult children generally aren’t personally responsible for a parent’s debts unless they cosigned or shared the account. Debts are paid from the estate, and Florida probate has a set process for creditors to file claims. This guide to financial responsibilities after a death explains how that works.
For now, gather the bills and set them aside. Don’t pay them with your own money, and don’t promise any creditor that you will.
What should you avoid in the first month?
- Giving away or selling furniture, jewelry, or vehicles, even if “Mom wanted you to have it”
- Moving money between accounts
- Paying old debts from your own pocket
- Letting a relative move into the house without a plan
- Canceling homeowners or auto insurance on property that is still sitting there
These feel small in the moment. In Michael’s experience, they are where most family disputes begin.
Does every estate go through probate in Florida?
No. Life insurance, retirement accounts with beneficiaries, payable on death accounts, property in a living trust, and homes deeded with a Lady Bird deed often pass directly to the named person. This article on whether all estates go through probate covers it in more detail.
What remains usually follows one of two paths. Since July 1, 2026, estates with $150,000 or less in assets that are not exempt from creditors can often use summary administration, which is faster and simpler. Larger or more complicated estates go through formal administration, where the court appoints a personal representative.
What if the house is the main asset?
Florida’s homestead rules protect the family home from most creditors, and a homestead usually doesn’t count toward that $150,000 limit. Whether you plan to sell or keep it, this article on keeping the family home through probate walks through the options.
When should you talk to a Florida Probate Lawyer?
Weeks 3 or 4 are a good time, once you have death certificates, know whether there is a will, and have a rough list of assets. That is usually enough for Michael to tell you which path the estate needs and what it will cost.
Call sooner if:
A bank or brokerage firm refuses to talk to you
Family members disagree about the house or belongings
Your parent owned property in another state
Creditors or collection agencies are pressuring you
You can see how the months after that usually unfold in this Florida probate timeline.
You don’t have to figure this out alone
The first month after losing a parent is a lot to carry, and most families don’t know which steps can wait and which can’t. Michael T. Heider has helped Florida families settle estates since 2006, and as both an attorney and a CPA, he can answer the legal and tax questions in the same conversation. He can tell you whether the estate needs probate at all and which path fits under Florida’s current limits. He also handles the original will, the court filing, banks, creditors, the family home, and the final tax return.
If you’re comparing probate lawyers in Florida, start with a free phone consultation and share where things stand. Bring whatever you have, even if it’s just a death certificate and a box of mail, and you’ll leave the call knowing your next step and what it will cost. Call 727-235-6005 or send a message today.