How to report a death to the credit bureaus, and why one letter is enough

After a death, the person's credit file stays open. Until it's marked, someone with their name, birth date and Social Security number can try to open accounts in their name, and nobody is watching the mail to notice. One letter to one credit bureau closes most of that gap.

Do you need to do this at all?

The credit bureaus often hear about a death eventually, from Social Security or from the person's lenders. But that can take weeks, and the weeks right after a death are when the person's details are most public. Telling a bureau yourself is free and takes one letter. It's worth doing in the first week or two.

You only have to tell one bureau

Equifax, Experian and TransUnion all say the same thing: report the death to any one of them, and that bureau notifies the other two. You don't need three letters.

The bureau adds a deceased notice to the person's credit file, usually worded "deceased, do not issue credit." When anyone applies for credit in that name, the lender sees it. TransUnion says it marks the file within five business days of receiving the letter and then writes back to confirm.

Who can report it

A spouse, the executor (or personal representative), or someone else legally authorized to act for the person. If you're not the spouse, you'll be asked for proof that you're authorized.

What to send

A short letter that asks for the file to be marked "deceased, do not issue credit," with:

• The person's details: full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death
• A copy of the death certificate
• Your details: your name, your mailing address for the confirmation, and a copy of your driver's license or other government ID
• If you're not the spouse: a copy of the court's letters naming you executor, the will naming you, or a power of attorney

Send it by certified mail and keep a copy of everything you sent.

Where to send it (pick one)

• Equifax: P.O. Box 105139, Atlanta, GA 30348-5139. Phone 888-378-4329.
• Experian: P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013. Phone 888-397-3742. Experian also accepts the documents through its online upload.
• TransUnion: P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016. Phone 800-916-8800.

Call first if you're unsure what that bureau needs from you. Requirements can differ a little from bureau to bureau.

Then ask for the credit report

The deceased notice stops new credit. The credit report tells you what already exists. As a spouse, executor or person with power of attorney, you can ask each bureau for a copy, free. Unlike the notice, this means a request to each of the three, because lenders don't always report to all of them.

Use the reports to:

1. List every lender. Credit cards, loans and lines of credit, including accounts with no balance. Each one needs to be told about the death.
2. Look for anything that doesn't belong. An account the person never opened, or a recent application for credit, can be a sign someone is using their identity.
3. Watch joint accounts. If you shared a card or loan with the person, tell the lender only one of you has died. It may be able to keep the account open in your name.

If you find fraud

Write to the lender for each account the person didn't open. Say the account holder has died and the account was opened fraudulently, and include a copy of the death certificate. Then report it to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov, which gives you a recovery plan and an identity theft report. Keep copies of every letter.

Two more things that help

• Keep the obituary light. The age and the town are enough. Leaving out the exact date of birth and the home address takes away two things a thief needs.
• Protect your own credit too. If you're a surviving spouse with shared accounts, consider freezing your own credit. It's free.

One letter to one bureau, sent in the first week or two, marks the file at all three. Then get the reports and make the list of every lender.