After someone passes away, generally, one of the practical tasks that follows is letting organisations know.
This can feel like a lot, especially when you’re grieving and not sure who needs to be contacted or where to start.
This guide walks you through who to notify after a death in Australia, in a simple and manageable way.
In simple terms
If the death has not yet been registered, see our guide on Registering a Death in Australia (What You Need to Know). Some organisations may still provide initial guidance before the certificate is available.
Notifying organisations allows them to update records and explain what is needed to close, transfer, or manage accounts.
You don’t need to contact everyone at once, you can do this step by step.
In plain English
If you’re not sure where to start, a practical starting point is:
- Government agencies, for example Centrelink, Medicare, ATO
- Banks and financial institutions
- Superannuation funds and insurance providers
- Urgent household or care-related services
Everything else can be done gradually.
Missing One Document Can Add Weeks to Probate.
Many of those delays can be avoided
Our simple step-by-step guide helps you understand the process, gather the right documents and avoid common issues that can slow things down.
Start with the most important organisations
Government
These are usually the first organisations to notify:
- Services Australia should generally be notified where the person had Centrelink, Medicare, or related records/payments.
- The ATO may need to be notified so tax records and estate obligations can be managed.
Notifying relevant agencies can help update records and reduce the risk of payment or record issues later.
Banks and financial institutions
Contact financial institutions where the person held accounts or debts so they can explain their deceased estate process.
- banks
- lenders
- credit card providers
Banks can tell you what documents they require and whether a court grant may be needed for that account.
Superannuation and insurance
You may need to contact superannuation funds and insurers to understand death benefit or policy claim processes.
These organisations will guide you through any claims or next steps.
Other organisations to notify
Once the key organisations are contacted, you can move on to others.
Employment and income
- Notify the employer or relevant business contacts where applicable to understand final payments, entitlements, or business-related steps.
Household and services
These can often be handled gradually, but urgent services for a home or dependants may need earlier attention.
- electricity, gas, water
- internet and phone providers
Subscriptions and memberships
- streaming services
- clubs or memberships
You don’t need to rush this — these can be handled over time.
What information will you need?
When contacting organisations, it helps to have:
- full name of the deceased
- date of birth
- date of death
- last known address
- account or reference numbers (if available)
Many organisations will ask for a death certificate or other evidence before making changes to accounts or records.
Only provide sensitive information through secure channels when requested.
We have pre-prepared templates in our comprehensive probate guide – here.
Do you need to notify everyone yourself?
Not always.
Some records may be updated through formal processes, but many organisations still need to be contacted directly.
If you’re unsure, you can ask each organisation what is required.
A simple way to stay organised
It can help to keep a record of:
- who you’ve contacted
- when you contacted them
- what they asked for
This can make the process feel more manageable and avoid repeating steps. We’ve included email templates and a tracker for you in our probate guide.
What happens after you notify organisations?
After notification, organisations may:
- request documents (such as a death certificate)
- Restrict or update accounts
- explain next steps for closing or transferring accounts
Contacting institutions can help you understand whether they require probate or another court grant before releasing assets.
Learn more: Do I need probate in Australia?
You don’t need to do everything at once
This process can feel like a long list, but it doesn’t need to be done all at once.
Start with the most important organisations, then work through the rest at your own pace.
Not sure what to do next?
If you’re still working through the early stages:
Read: What happens after someone dies?
Get the full probate guide – here.
Take things one step at a time
Notifying organisations is just one part of the process.
You’re not expected to get everything done immediately, just take the next step when you’re ready.