Plain-English guides
Guides from Hearthline Press
The Bank Won't Accept Your Power of Attorney: What to Do This Week
You walked into the branch with a document that says you can act for your mother, and the teller slid it back across the counter. Frustrating, and a…
Canceling Credit Cards, Utilities and Subscriptions After a Death
Someone you love has died, and now their accounts are still running—cards charging annual fees, streaming services renewing, the electric bill arriving…
They Died Without a Will. Here's Who Decides What Happens Next.
Someone you love died, and there's no will. That's a hard spot, and I'll say plainly: it's often more manageable than it feels right now. When there's…
The Email, Photos and Passwords Nobody Can Reach: Digital Accounts After a Death
When someone dies, their life doesn't quietly log itself out. The email keeps receiving invoices. The phone keeps buzzing with two-factor codes nobody…
You're the Executor. Here's the Order to Do Things In.
Someone you love died, and you're holding the will — or you just found out you're named in it. You don't need to do everything today. You need to do…
How Many Death Certificates Do You Actually Need? (And Who Wants Originals)
Someone you love has died, and now you're standing at the funeral home or the vital records office being asked a strange, practical question: how many…
Telling Social Security Someone Died: Who Calls, and What Happens to the Last Payment
Someone you love has died, and now Social Security needs to know. This is one of those tasks that feels heavy but moves fast once you know the order.…
Organizing a Parent's Paperwork Before You Need It: A One-Afternoon System
You've noticed your parent slowing down, or you settled a friend's estate and saw the mess left behind, and now you're wondering where anything is.…
When a Parent Won't Talk About Their Paperwork: Three Conversations That Work
You've tried to bring it up. Maybe you got a wave of the hand, a "we'll deal with that later," or a flat "I don't want to talk about it." Meanwhile…
How Families Pay for a Cremation Before the Estate Unlocks
Someone you love has died, and the funeral home wants a deposit before the bank will release a dime. This is one of the cruelest bits of timing in the…
Probate or the Short Way? How Small Estates Skip the Line
Someone you love has died, and now there's a bank account, maybe a car, and a stack of paperwork with your name attached to it. Before you brace…
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The First 72 Hours
A one-page checklist of what actually needs doing in the first three days after someone dies — and, just as important, what can wait. Plain English, printable, no strings.
No spam, ever. Roughly one email a month. Your address is never sold or shared.
A note about what this is — and isn’t.
This is an educational and organizational product. It is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney. Hearthline Press is not a law firm, and no attorney-client relationship is created by purchasing or using this product. Laws differ by state and change over time; for decisions about your specific situation — especially anything involving a will, probate, taxes, or a dispute — please consult a licensed attorney or qualified professional in your state.