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First Steps After a Death in Tennessee

A practical sequence for the first days and weeks after a death, focused on Tennessee estate administration touchpoints.

Get Death CertificatesDo I Need Probate?

Use this timeline to handle immediate post-death tasks in the right order before you move into probate, asset transfer, or executor paperwork.

Source Notes

If You Are the Named Executor in Tennessee

In plain terms: if you are handling a Tennessee estate, start with the records and court tasks below, at a steady pace. The details under each step explain exactly what to do.

If you are the named executor, personal representative, administrator, or the family member organizing a Tennessee estate, start with the state-specific records, court, and transfer tasks below. Check each step against the current county office or agency handling the estate.

  1. Locate the original will and important documents

    The probate court needs the original signed will to admit it to probate. A custodian of a will generally has a legal duty to deliver it to the personal representative or the probate court after death. Also look for codicils, trusts, deeds, vehicle titles, account statements, and life insurance policies.

  2. Order certified death certificates

    Certified copies are issued by the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records and cost $15 per certified copy. The funeral home usually orders them for you. Order more than you think you need - banks, insurers, the county clerk for vehicle titles, and the probate court all ask for one.

  3. Identify the proper county and probate court

    Probate is handled at the county level in the county where the decedent resided. In most Tennessee counties the Chancery Court hears probate through the elected Clerk & Master; some larger counties have a separate Probate Court (for example, Davidson/Nashville and Shelby/Memphis), and a few route probate to the General Sessions Court by private or local act. There is no single statewide probate court.

  4. Make a first asset and debt list

    Separate probate assets (solely owned) from nonprobate assets such as joint survivorship accounts, beneficiary-designated accounts, life insurance, and trust property. This list becomes the basis for the inventory and for deciding whether full probate is needed.

  5. Determine whether probate is needed - small estate vs. full administration

    If the value of the decedent's probate property is $50,000 or less, an heir may use Tennessee's Small Estate Probate Act by filing a petition for limited letters of administration (or limited letters testamentary), which generally cannot be filed until 45 days after death and only if no personal representative has been appointed (Tenn. Code Ann. 30-4-102, 30-4-103). Larger or more complex estates require full administration.

Some tasks can wait a few days. Prioritize safety, family needs, the original will, and certified death certificates.

Timeline of Tasks

First 24 to 72 Hours

Get a legal pronouncement and arrange for the body
A medical professional must pronounce the death. If death was expected under hospice, the hospice nurse can pronounce; if unexpected, call 911. Then choose a licensed Tennessee funeral home or cremation provider to transport and care for your loved one.
Secure the home and valuables
Lock the residence, keep utilities and insurance active, and avoid distributing property until authority and ownership are clear. Real estate in Tennessee generally vests in the heirs or devisees at death, but it still needs to be protected.
Locate the original will and important documents
The probate court needs the original signed will to admit it to probate. A custodian of a will generally has a legal duty to deliver it to the personal representative or the probate court after death. Also look for codicils, trusts, deeds, vehicle titles, account statements, and life insurance policies.

First Week

Order certified death certificates
Certified copies are issued by the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records and cost $15 per certified copy. The funeral home usually orders them for you. Order more than you think you need - banks, insurers, the county clerk for vehicle titles, and the probate court all ask for one.
Identify the proper county and probate court
Probate is handled at the county level in the county where the decedent resided. In most Tennessee counties the Chancery Court hears probate through the elected Clerk & Master; some larger counties have a separate Probate Court (for example, Davidson/Nashville and Shelby/Memphis), and a few route probate to the General Sessions Court by private or local act. There is no single statewide probate court.
Make a first asset and debt list
Separate probate assets (solely owned) from nonprobate assets such as joint survivorship accounts, beneficiary-designated accounts, life insurance, and trust property. This list becomes the basis for the inventory and for deciding whether full probate is needed.

First Month

Determine whether probate is needed - small estate vs. full administration
If the value of the decedent's probate property is $50,000 or less, an heir may use Tennessee's Small Estate Probate Act by filing a petition for limited letters of administration (or limited letters testamentary), which generally cannot be filed until 45 days after death and only if no personal representative has been appointed (Tenn. Code Ann. 30-4-102, 30-4-103). Larger or more complex estates require full administration.
Open the estate and obtain letters from the probate court
The person named in the will petitions to be appointed executor; if there is no will, an eligible person petitions to be appointed administrator. File in the probate court (Chancery Court through the Clerk & Master, or the county probate court) in the decedent's county. Bring the original will and a certified death certificate. The clerk's statutory fee to open and close a full estate is a flat $230 under Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-401, plus county litigation taxes and fees (certain charter counties such as Davidson and Knox use the itemized schedule in 8-21-409). The court then issues letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (without a will) confirming your authority to act for the estate.
Get an EIN and open an estate bank account
Apply for a free estate EIN from the IRS, then open a bank account in the estate's name (for example, 'Estate of Jane Doe'). Keep estate money completely separate from personal money and keep receipts for every payment and distribution.
Publish notice to creditors
After appointment, the personal representative publishes notice to creditors (Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-306). This starts the creditor claim period, which generally runs four months from the first date of publication, subject to a twelve-month outer limit from the date of death.

Ongoing Administration

File the inventory with the probate court unless waived
The personal representative files a complete inventory of the estate within sixty days after appointment, unless the inventory is excused by the will or waived by all the residuary distributees and other interested persons (Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-301).
Notify Social Security, banks, insurers, and creditors
Report the death to the Social Security Administration (1-800-772-1213), notify each bank and brokerage, file life insurance claims, and address debts. After publishing notice to creditors, creditors generally have four months from first publication to file claims, with a twelve-month outer limit from death (Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-306, 30-2-307).
Keep estate money separate and file required tax returns
Use the estate account for all estate income and expenses, and keep receipts for every transaction. Review the decedent's final federal Form 1040, federal Form 1041 if the estate earns income, and federal Form 706 only if the estate exceeds the federal exemption. Tennessee has no state estate tax, no state inheritance tax, and no general state income tax.

Who to Notify

Keep this list handy as you work through notifications.

Social Security Administration
Call 1-800-772-1213
Employer / HR Department
Phone call or email
Banks & Credit Unions
Visit branch with death certificate
Insurance Companies
Call policy customer service
Credit Card Companies
Call number on card
Utility Companies
Call to transfer or cancel
DMV / Vehicle Registration
Visit in person or online
Post Office
Submit change of address form

Documents to Gather

Gather these documents as soon as possible.

Death Certificates

Many estates start with 10-15 certified copies because banks, insurers, property-transfer contacts, and agencies may ask for them.

How to get death certificates →

Will & Trust Documents

Look in safe deposit boxes, home safes, attorney files, and records folders.

Probate guide →

Financial Statements

Bank statements, investment accounts, retirement accounts, and recent tax returns.

Asset transfer guide →

What Comes Next?

After the first 30 days, you may need to start probate or transfer assets. Use the Tennessee assessment to sort what may apply.

Take the Probate AssessmentRead the Tennessee Probate Guide

More Tennessee Resources

Explore the rest of the Tennessee probate hub.